Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Nov 28: General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Army’s 15 Corps, Lt General Satish Dua, today said that as the counter-infiltration grid along the Line of Control (LoC) is strong, militants are trying to target border camps and posts. He said that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is a live threat that cannot be ignored.
On this week’s attack on an Army camp in Tanghdar near the LoC in the frontier district of Kupwara, the GOC said it was part of the militants’ strategy to hit the nearest Army post or camp as they were unable to breach the multi-tier counter-infiltration grid.
“This is not a new phenomenon. In Tanghdar itself, you are aware few months ago there was a similar attempt and it resulted in a similar operation. So, they always try to get in close with the Army post or camp because they are unable to infiltrate due to this well coordinated counter-infiltration grid. So they try and create a very sensational attack very close to the Line of Control,” he said.
Lt General Dua said besides Tangdhar-like attacks, the militants were also carrying out very “shallow” operations close to the LoC. “I would feel so that it appears like that and they are unable to infiltrate due to multitier counter-infiltration grid. And that is why we are seeing more such acts and this was the act in which they tried to hit one of our camps but there have been some smaller operations. They have come couple of hundred meters at times near our posts and fired and ran back. In one of the cases they had tried to lay an IED that was a very shallow operation inside the LoC”, he said.
The Corps Commander said that the newly recruits are given rudimentary training in Kashmir as they are not able to ex-filtrate due to strong counter-infiltration grid.
“On one hand are these operations and on the other hand we see because of counter-infiltration grid being robust that they are not able to ex-infiltrate. The local recruitment that is taking place, they are given some rudimentary training here itself and these young boys are being pushed into militancy”, he added.
The GOC said that ISIS is a live threat and a cause of concern. “The ISIS is a live threat and it can’t be denied. It is a cause for concern”, he said.
The Corps Commander, in reply to a question about the possibility of the Islamic State forging an alliance with the militant outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaishe-e-Mohammad for expanding its activities to the Valley said: “All the security agencies and the intelligence agencies are monitoring this. That is all I can say.”
The GOC said that as per Multi Agency Centre (MAC), 25 militants infiltrated into Kashmir this year but most of them have been eliminated in reception area. “As per MAC, this year 25 infiltrations have taken place that means 25 terrorists have infiltrated. In most of these, we have been able to neutralize them in the vicinity of LoC. However, in the present contest of Manigah and another in Bandipora, you are aware operations are going on. The infiltrating terrorists have not been allowed to get into the hinterland. We have a figure of 8-10 militants who have been blocked in the reception area”, he added.
Lt General Dua said that they are weary of collateral damage during the operations.
“We are afraid of collateral damage when terrorist is hold up in a house so that the other occupants are not injured or harmed. We are also wary of collateral damage where house is destroyed. So this is the type of collateral damage we are wary of and at times we have actually let terrorist get away rather than to do damage to occupants or house there because fire could spread to the neighbouring houses and that is the case where Abu Qasim was killed”, he added.
The GOC said that Army is using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for surveillance in search operations. “First of all drones are used where weapons are used. What we are using is Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) which provide surveillance feed. In any area which is being suspect UAVs are being used. And in the ongoing operations wherever weather permits they are being used”, he added.
Lt General Dua denied that there is increase in militancy. “This happens every year when it is about to snow or when winter is round the corner, they try to infiltrate and some try to go and receive them”, he said.
The Corps Commander when asked about the operation that is going on in North Kashmir for two weeks, said that they are moving slowly to avoid collateral damage. “On one side there has been infiltration. They have come. They have been stopped there for last 15 days. They are not able to cross the reception area. There are two factors. One is terrain over there is thickly forested and high altitude areas. The other factor is we don’t want to cause collateral damage. They are sometimes in Dok. Last time when one terrorist was killed one of our officers also got injured. It is at that time we try to maintain utmost caution so that there is no collateral damage”, he added.
When asked how these militants are sustaining for so long despite security force operations in the forests, the GOC said: “They are getting some sustenance from the villagers there and that is how we get information whenever they come to get that. And that is why after every 2-3 days we have a contact”, he added.
Lt General Dua said that they received documents from the militants who attacked Army camp in Tanghdar that suggest that they had come to target the camp. “We have recovered documents from them that suggest they were coming for this kind of target”, he added.
On large number of people attending funeral of the LeT commander, Abu Qasim who was killed last month, the GOC said: “As a uniformed man, I can’t comment on it. As an informed citizen it is a cause for concern.”
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