Foreign terrorists backed by four locals involved in attacks
*Para commandos, choppers, drones being used to clear forests
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 7: At least four local militants may be supporting two groups of foreign terrorists in identifying routes, targets, facilitating their movement and assisting them in shelter and food while three militants–one each from Reasi, Poonch and Doda are believed to be coordinating with Pakistani commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in carrying out terror strikes in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
Inputs developed by the investigating agencies revealed that there could be two groups of three foreign terrorists each and supported by two local militants each active in the forest areas of Rajouri and Poonch districts, who are operating with “strong local support” including group of six to eight hardcore Over Ground Workers (OGWs).
The Army has now further involved para commandos in the operations while helicopters and drones are also being used wherever required to trace the militants and eliminate them.
As per the sources, Reyaz Ahmad alias Qasim of Mahore tehsil in Reasi district, Mohammad Amin alias Khubaib alias Haroon of Thathri in Doda and Rafiq Nai alias Sultan of Mendhar in Poonch district are actively coordinating with Pakistani commanders of LeT and JeM outfits for carrying out terror strikes in Rajouri and Poonch as all of them are well versed with topography of the twin border districts and have strong contacts with local OGWs who might be getting funds through hawala channels from across.
Qasim, Khubaib and Nai are presently operating from Pakistan and figured in the list of “most wanted terrorists” in Jammu and Kashmir as well as Central Government’s Intelligence agencies. The trio could be instrumental in creating “local support base” for the foreign terrorists in Rajouri and Poonch using their past connections in the two districts. While Qasim and Nai belonged to Rajouri and Poonch, Khubaib had operated in the region before fleeing to Pakistan.
However, there are different versions about involvement of local militants as presently no major local names have surfaced in Rajouri and Poonch districts who have joined militancy. There is also a possibility that the militants from South Kashmir, which shares boundaries with Pir Panjal range, might be assisting the foreign terrorists as they two are well aware about topography of the area.
“Troops are engaged in clearing the forests with the help of paramilitary forces and local police. Para commandos are actively involved in the operations now. Helicopters and drones are also being used and will continue to be in use till the militants are neutralized,” the officials said.
They added that without active local support the foreign terrorists or even Kashmiri militants can’t operate in Rajouri and Poonch districts. Therefore, simultaneously, the security forces are trying to nail down the OGWs who are assisting the foreign terrorists in topography, identifying targets, facilitating their movement and providing them food and shelter.
“The foreign terrorists might be staying in cave hideouts and not in houses of the people to avoid detection. However, they continue to get food from the locals on which they are surviving,” sources said, adding the OGWs and the militants are not using mobile telephones for interaction which is one of the reasons that their movement is not being spotted.
Meanwhile, since the killing of one Pakistani terrorist in Kandi belt of Rajouri district yesterday, there has been no fresh contact between security forces and terrorists in the area through extensive searches continued.
In fact, multiple operations are going on in different places of Rajouri and Poonch districts especially the forests where the militants could shift after triggering the IED blast at Kandi.
It may be mentioned here that five para commandos sacrificed their lives and a Major was injured in an IED blast triggered by the militants using remote control at Kandi forests of Rajouri district on Friday.
Prior to this, five soldiers were martyred and another injured in an ambush laid by the terrorists at Bhatta Durrian in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district on April 20. Before that, seven civilians from minority community, two of them minors, were killed and over half a dozen were injured in terror attack on January 1 this year.
On Saturday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Army chief Gen Manoj Pande and Northern Command chief Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi visited Rajouri and reviewed security situation in Jammu and Kashmir particularly Rajouri and Poonch districts.
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