Only four new terror recruits from Jammu and Kashmir in 2024, 80% militants Pakistani: Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi
Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi highlights local support for peace in Jammu and Kashmir amid ongoing challenges.
General Dwivedi was speaking at the annual press conference of the Army. (PTI Photo) Only four local men in Jammu and Kashmir joined militant ranks last year, while 60 per cent of all those killed during counter-terrorism operations in the region were from Pakistan, Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi said on Monday. He said this showed the local people were in favour of peace and that the violence was being entirely orchestrated by Pakistan.
General Dwivedi was speaking at the annual press conference of the Army.
“The violence level (in J&K) is being orchestrated by the epicentre of terrorism that is Pakistan. Is the world helping us in controlling this epicentre in any way? If the support is not up to what India is looking at, this kind of infiltration will continue. However, as of now, we have inducted 15,000 additional troops in the year 2024. That is why the violence level has gone down… we have been able to neutralise 73 terrorists, out of which 60 per cent are Pakistani… And as of today, whatever is remnant in the Valley and the Jammu area, we feel that 80 per cent or more are of Pakistan origin,” he said.
Arguing that the people of Jammu and Kashmir were on the side of peace, General Dwivedi said, “The Parliamentary and Assembly elections had both near about 60 per cent voting. It means that the local population is going with peace. The recruitment (of local militants) was only four for 2024. That is negligible. All the indicators are saying the people of J&K are shunning violence. The violence is completely being orchestrated by our western adversary.”
The Army chief said the situation was under control. “Ceasefire on the Line of Control is holding on. However, the terror infrastructure across remains intact. Infiltration also continues, including from the IB (international border) sector and other avenues which are available, along with drone attempts to smuggle war-like stores and narcotics. In the hinterland, in recent months, increased terrorist activity was witnessed in North Kashmir and the Doda-Kishtwar belt. Our CT (counter-terrorism) grid has been reinvigorated and the tempo of kinetic ops has been enhanced,” he said.
For the past two years, the Army has faced serious challenges in the Jammu and Kashmir theatre, with nearly 50 of its personnel losing their lives in militant attacks. This has largely resulted from a resurgence of militant violence in the Jammu division, which has seen more deadly attacks than the Kashmir Valley in the past two years. The situation has been exacerbated by a withdrawal of troops from the region for deployment in Ladakh and a corresponding infiltration of highly trained fighters from Pakistan.
However, a fresh infusion of troops and a reworking of the counter-terrorism grid in Jammu have led to some successes in recent months, with troops not only preventing casualties but inflicting significant damage on the other side.
“Overall, the violence perimeter is under control. Tourism, development activity, Amarnath Yatra, and the peaceful conduct of elections are indicators of a positive change. So the theme of terrorism to tourism is gradually taking shape,” the Army chief said.
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