Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 15: Bandipora area in North Kashmir, that was militancy free since 2008, has become active once again for past over a month as there are reports of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants establishing a base in the forests of the border district.
Since 2008, there was no militant presence in Bandipora while adjacent Sopore was hot. But of late, security forces have regular inputs of militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) making movements in Bandipora as they have established base in the forests of Bandipora.
A senior police officer told Excelsior that since security forces have put pressure on them due to which they failed to make Sopore as their base which was earlier used as transit for several years. He said that LeT was trying to make inroads in Sopore but they failed due to sustained pressure.
An Army Officer said that Army and police conducted massive operations since May this year in North Kashmir forests putting pressure on the militants. “So far we have killed 54 militants in North Kashmir including those killed on the Line of Control (LoC) while infiltrating”, he said.
Security forces have reports that at least 12 militants of LeT are operating from the forests of Bandipora area in North Kashmir for past two months. These militants are believed to have shifted to Bandipora forests recently after intense pressure in other forest areas of North Kashmir where massive operations are on since May this year.
For past few weeks security forces have launched operations in Bandipora area against them. Bandipora was once stronghold of militancy with large number of foreign militants operating from the forest area of the district.
The counter-insurgency that started from Bandipora in early 1990s under the command of Mohammad Yusuf Parray alias Kukka Parray, led to either killing of these militants or they shifted their base to other areas.
There was militant presence in Bandipora till 2008 but since then no militant presence was reported from the area. As the LeT has established its base in Bandipora, the LeT militants are making frequent movements in the area to shift the militants who are not able to come out of North Kashmir forests due to intense pressure from security forces.
A police officer was killed in a gun battle at Gund Dachin area of Bandipora on October 7, when he intercepted a vehicle in which militants including divisional commander of Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT), Abu Qasim, was travelling.
Security forces had information that the militant commander was on his way to Bandipora to receive a militant group of LeT and facilitate its movement to South Kashmir.
Army and police had already launched operation against Abu Qasim when his vehicle was intercepted by Sub-Inspector Altaf Ahmad leading to a gun battle in which Altaf was killed.
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