Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Mar 21: The number of militants, ready to infiltrate into Kashmir, at the launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) has doubled since last one month as this year they are planning infiltration ahead of summer.
Sources said that in this year’s winters, 50-70 militants were at the launch pads near 400 kilometer long LoC in PoK ready for infiltration into Kashmir. They said that the number of militants at the launch pads have over the past one month increased and gone up to over 150. These militants are in 12 launch pads that are in PoK near the LoC.
Sources said that as this winter there was very less snowfall along the LoC in Kashmir, militants mostly belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), have started concentrating in the launch pads near the LoC for infiltration.
They said that last summer there were 500 militant waiting for the infiltration on the launch and this year numbers mights increase as they are desperate to infiltrate more militants into Kashmir due to successes achieved by the security forces against the militants recently.
Security forces this year killed 25 militants in operations so far which is highest in recent years in first three months. Among the killed, 19 belonged to LeT and six to Hizbul Mujahideen.
Normally, the infiltration into Kashmir from across the LoC starts in May and last year it started from Mid May. In the month of May, the snow melts from the mountain peaks and the fence that remains buried under snow gets damaged. The infiltrators find it most opportune time to infiltrate.
This year, as there was very less snowfall, the first infiltration attempt was made on March 3. Army foiled an infiltration bid in Keran sector of the LoC and killed one militant on March 3 and one weapon was also recovered. Army noticed movement of 6-7 militants on LoC early morning on March 3, near the LoC in Keran sector. These militants had come inside the LoC and their movement was noticed by the Army men posted on the forward posts in the sector.
The infiltrators were challenged by the troops deployed in the counter infiltration grid. The militants fled back to PoK; however, two of them were killed as Army saw the retreating militants dragging two bodies. However, only one dead body was later recovered.
Army has already intensified its vigil along the LoC to prevent any infiltration from across the LoC as there was less snow on the LoC. They already had apprehensions that the militants may try to infiltration ahead of the schedule.
Last year, infiltration was down by 50 percent due to strengthening of the counter-infiltration grid along 400 kilometer LoC in Kashmir. The Multi Agency Centre (MAC) figures of last year put the infiltration figures of 2015 at 35.
According to the MAC figures, 65 militants infiltrated into Kashmir in 2014, 97 infiltrated in 2013, 121 in 2012, 52 in 2011, 82 in 2010, 99 infiltrated in 2009, 27 infiltrated in 2008.
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