There are chances of an increase in suicide attacks by militants in Jammu and Kashmir, according to the general officer commanding-in-chief, Northern Command, Lieutenant General Hari Prasad.
"Militants are launching suicide attacks to lift the morale of their cadres, which has been weakened by continuing army operations," Gen Prasad, who was injured in an attack on an army camp in Akhnoor on Tuesday, said.
The army is 'further strengthening the systems' to minimise or eliminate casualties in such attacks, which cannot be prevented because 'when a man is prepared to give up his life there is very little you can do to stop him', he said on Wednesday.
"We will definitely try to bring our casualty level to zero.
"We have been launching relentless counterinsurgency operations and every day we kill six to eight terrorists," he said.
The official said there are 2,500 to 3,000 militants operating in J&K.
This year, 700 militants have been killed so far, Gen Prasad said.
"Our aim is to reduce this number to minimum possible so that this movement is not sustainable. That is our aim and we are achieving it," he said.
On the July 22 incident, Gen Prasad said he was taking stock of the situation in the Tanda army garrison after a suicide attack when a militant got up to hurl grenades.
The militant was shot and two grenades exploded in his hands due to which, the general said, he and his colleague were injured.