Arjun Sharma

Jammu, December 4

Aiming at tracing Pakistan-trained terrorists, if any, hiding in the forest areas of Rajouri and Poonch, security forces have started an intense combing operation in Rajouri and Poonch districts. Both the districts are located along the Line of Control (LoC) and infiltration in these areas takes place when the higher reaches of J&K are covered with snow. The search operation on Monday saw participation of the Army, the police and the CRPF in Thanamandi, Kalakote, Sunderbani among other areas in Rajouri and Mendhar in Poonch.

Army intelligence sources informed that the combing operation in the forest areas was started after reports of suspicious movement were received by the security forces. It is after the recent Kalakote encounter on November 22 in which five soldiers were killed that the search operations have become intensive. Two terrorists from Pakistan were also killed in the encounter.

DGP RR Swain had recently said that the local residents were a major source of intelligence inputs against terrorists infiltrating from Pakistan into Rajouri and Poonch districts. The DGP said people of the twin districts had been supporting and cooperating with the security forces against terrorism.

“The search operation in Rajouri and Poonch has been launched to see if there are terrorists hiding in the natural caves and deep forest areas of these districts. In most of the terror attacks in the districts, militants had taken refuge in the jungle areas. These terrorists had been specially trained in the jungle warfare by the Pakistan army and the ISI,” said an intelligence official.

Search operations were also carried out in villages in Mendhar which is infamous for infiltration attempts by terrorists. “The combing operation is a part of the larger operation against terrorists in which they will be eliminated from the region. The year has witnessed sacrifices by many soldiers and civilians in Rajouri and Poonch areas after which it has been decided to search the forests inch by inch and eliminate remaining terrorists,” said the Army intelligence official.

String of killings this year

The year has seen sacrifices by many soldiers and civilians in Rajouri and Poonch so the forests are being searched inch by inch to eliminate terrorists. — An intelligence official