Why terrorists are active in Rajouri-Poonch belt

Security and defence experts have called for immediate strengthening of the security management and intelligence network along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region, which witnessed the killing of 59 people, including 24 security personnel and 28 terrorists, in terror incidents this year.

A day after five soldiers were killed and two injured when heavily armed terrorists ambushed two Army vehicles in the border district of Poonch, they expressed concern over the increasing footprints of terrorists in the region.

Lieutenant General Paramjit Singh (retd), who headed the Nagrota-based XVI corps of the army, acknowledged that the terrain where the incident took place is a difficult one.

"But having said that one needs to be prepared for all eventualities," he said.

He said it was time for the top brass in the corps to go back to the drawing board and analyse the continuous 'reverses' being witnessed in the area.

"This area also has an unholy nexus between smugglers, drug cartels and people in the system. There is an urgent need to break the backbone of this," Lt Gen Singh, who was one of the army officials involved in the Balakote strike in 2019, said.

India had hit back at terror camps, especially of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed group, after 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in a car bomb explosion in Pulwama in February 2019.

Gen Singh also advised that it was time for those at the helm of affairs to go back to the drawing board and basic training of jungle warfare.

"We should not be more dependent on technical inputs as they are misleading at times," he said.

Expressing concern over the terror incidents, defence expert Colonel S S Pathania (retd) said, "It is the second incident in the last two months. This region was peaceful until two years ago. In the last two years, 24 soldiers were martyred here. Why is it happening? Why have terrorists been so emboldened?"

He said focus should be laid on strengthening LoC management and intelligence network.

"The LoC security management should be foolproof and the intelligence network should be strengthened," he said.

Security expert Captain Anil Gaur (retired) also expressed concern over the security situation in the region and called for a total revamp of the intelligence network.

"Pakistan is trying to revive terrorism in this region by engineering these incidents. There are some gaps in dealing with terrorism. It is a matter of concern," he said.

He added that it is time to strengthen the intelligence and security setup of the region and eliminate all terrorists.

He said it is a difficult terrain with a lot of caves.

Five soldiers were killed and two injured when heavily-armed terrorists ambushed two Army vehicles in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Thursday.

The vehicles carrying the personnel to the site of a cordon-and-search operation came under attack at a blind curve at Dhatyar Morh between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz under the jurisdiction of the Surankote police station around 3.45 pm, according to the officials.

The stretch between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz on the boundary of Rajouri and Poonch districts is densely forested and leads to Chamrer forest and then Bhata Dhurian forest.

With the latest killing, the total number of people killed in terrorist incidents in the border districts of Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi went up to 59.

Earlier, the three districts witnessed a series of encounters that left 54 persons, including 19 security personnel and 28 terrorists, dead.

While 31 persons, including 10 terrorists and 14 security personnel, were killed in Rajouri, 15 terrorists and five security personnel were killed in Poonch district.

Three terrorists were killed in Reasi district.

Most of the terrorists were killed while attempting to sneak into this side of the border, the officials said.