A total of 172 terrorists have been neutralised in 93 counter-terrorism operations in Kashmir so far this year, police said. Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Kashmir Zone, Vijay Kumar, informed that the majority of the terrorists neutralised this year belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) or its local offshoot The Resistant Front (TRF), followed by Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen, Al-Badr, and Al-Qaeda affiliated Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AguH).
“During year 2022, total 93 successful encounters took place in Kashmir in which 172 terrorists including 42 foreign terrorists got neutralised. Maximum terrorists neutralised from LeT/TRF(108) outfit followed by JeM (35), HM (22), Al-Badr (4) and AGuH(3) outfits,” Kumar was quoted as saying by official Twitter handle of Kashmir Zone Police.
The security forces intensified counter-terrorism operations in the Valley amid increase in targeted killings. As many as 29 civilians, including 21 locals, were killed by terrorists this year. Of 21 locals killed in the targeted attacks, 15 were Muslims and six were Hindus. Kumar said all terrorists involved in these killings have been neutralised, except two – identified as Basit Dar and Adil Wani, who, he assured, will be neutralised soon.
Underlined two “remarkable changes” in the society, Kumar said that the house owners have started denying shelter to terrorists and parents no longer feel proud if their wards join terrorist groups.
“Rather they appeal them to return back, curse terrorists openly and work with Jammu and Kashmir Police for the return of their wards,” he added.
The top Kashmir police official also said that the life span of newly recruited terrorists declined drastically in 2022 as 89% of the newly recruited terrorists were neutralised within first month of joining a terror group.
“This year, 100 fresh recruitments into terrorist ranks were reported showing a decline of 37% compared to last year. Maximum (74) joined LeT. Out of total recruitment, 65 terrorists neutralised in encounters, 17 terrorists arrested and 18 terrorists are still active,” he said.
