Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 31: Even as the Border Security Force (BSF) foiled another infiltration attempt along the International Border (IB) in Akhnoor sector, intelligence inputs revealed that the militants of three major outfits Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) have joined hands for making combined efforts to intrude into this side from the Line of Control (LoC).
The new strategy of the militants has come to the fore after the reported visit of LeT and Jamat-ul-Dawa chief Hafiz Sayeed to the areas along the LoC last week, official sources told the Excelsior.
They said it has been observed that the militants of three major outfits have been camping together in the launching pads across the LoC, which have been located near the Pakistan Army camps. Earlier, the militants of all these outfits used to camp separately at different launching pads. They also used to make infiltration attempts in separate groups.
“The new strategy of the militants might have been aimed at pushing the infiltrators into this side of the LoC, which they have not been able to do during past quite sometime now,’’ sources revealed.
However, they said, security forces were not worried about this new development.
“We are concerned about thwarting infiltration attempts. It hardly matters whether the militants of LeT or HM make separate bid to gain entry into this side or collectively. They will be killed or captured if they intruded into the Indian side,’’ they added.
Confirming the visit of Hafiz Sayeed in the areas bordering LoC in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) last week, sources said he appeared to have visited launching pads and other buildings, where the militants have been accommodated, and was instrumental in devising a strategy among the different militant outfits for making collective efforts of infiltration.
Hafiz Sayeed is said to have distributed some cash among the militants of different groups to make them follow his strategy of joint infiltration and making more efforts of intrusions.
Sources said the militants could intensify their efforts of infiltration into the Indian territory from twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri after the visit of Hafiz Sayeed to the LoC.
It may be mentioned here that during past few days, the militants have made a series of infiltration attempts on the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch sector but troops have successfully thwarted them.
Meanwhile, the BSF opened firing after observing suspicious movement of the militants along the IB at Sidarwan Border Out Post (BOP) in Akhnoor sector at 5.05 am today.
The BSF troops guarding the border took positions and fired 25 rounds in the area of suspected movement of militants, sources said, adding that during searches conducted in the morning , footprints were seen in the area indicating that the militants had tried to infiltrate but escaped back to other side of the border after spotting movement of alert BSF jawans.
Two days back, Army had gunned down an intruder on the LoC at Laleali in Akhnoor sector, bordering Sunderbani when he was trying to cross into this side of the LoC.
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