Army launching Operation Sarvashakti to flush out terrorists

Large-scale operation will be on the lines of Sarpvinash of 2003, which was launched against terrorists south of Pir Panjal range

The security forces retaliated to the militants’ fire, and the exchange of fire continued for some time.(File/representational)

The Army is launching Operation Sarvashakti involving security forces from both sides of the Pir Panjal range in Jammu and Kashmir to flush out terrorists who have been involved in a series of ambushes on Indian troops carried out in areas of Rajouri and Poonch.

Troops of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps and the Nagrota-based 16 Corps will be operating in tandem, along with other agencies and paramilitary forces, as part of the operation to wipe off terrorists sponsored by Pakistan.

According to sources, intelligence inputs at all levels are being collated and acted upon. Additional troops from the reserve formations have been moved into the Rajouri-Poonch area.

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The operation will be on the lines of Operation Sarpvinash of 2003, which was launched against terrorists south of the Pir Panjal range. The operation had lasted for roughly three months and nearly 100 terrorists were killed at that time. A large number of stores and equipment, including some medical ones, were recovered.

Sarpvinash followed by large-scale domination of the area by the Army and the Rashtriya Rifles brought peace in the area till about 2017-2018.

Sarvashakti will focus on locating the terrorists’ hideouts in the dense jungles, mountains and the caves dotting the area. It is suspected that those carrying out the ambushes on security forces in the Rajouri-Poonch area in 2023 are hiding in these areas.

Also Read | Army’s counter-terror op in Poonch recalls strike in Hilkaka 18 years ago

Seven soldiers were killed in Kashmir and 20 were killed in ambushes in the Rajouri-Poonch belt in the last few years. According to sources in the security forces, most of the terrorists in J&K are foreigners.

Amrita Nayak Dutta

Amrita Nayak Dutta writes on defence and national security as part of the national bureau of The Indian Express. In the past, Amrita has extensively reported on the media industry and broadcasting matters, urban affairs, bureaucracy and government policies. In the last 14 years of her career, she has worked in newspapers as well as in the online media space and is well versed with the functioning of both newsrooms. Amrita has worked in the northeast, Mumbai and Delhi. She has travelled extensively across the country, including in far-flung border areas, to bring detailed reports from the ground and has written investigative reports on media and defence. She has been working for The Indian Express since January 2023. ... Read More

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