New Valley video has 25 militants, police say both Hizbul and Lashkar

Police sources said the video seemed to have been shot in the apple orchards of Shopian, in South Kashmir, and included both Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba militants. The video is suspected to have been shot recently, as small apples can be seen hanging from the trees.

“It is definitely a matter of concern for us,” said a senior police officer. “If such a huge number of militants can assemble at one place and shoot a video, we must be concerned about how they managed to do this despite the presence of security forces and increased vigil, especially in South Kashmir,” he said.

“It seems this is one more attempt to attract young boys (towards militancy),” said another police officer. “They (militants) are making effective use of social media.”

Recently, militants posted a group photograph which showed 14 of them, all carrying guns,

“The recruitment of local youths into militancy was already high in South Kashmir,” said a police officer posted there. “It seems militants want to further increase the numbers. We are aware of their plans and we will not let that to happen.”

The militants first took to social media to recruit youths about three years ago. Slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani and his associates posed for photographs and posted them on social media, instead of choosing to remain anonymous.

Over the last three years, more than 300 local youths from the Valley are reported to have joined militancy.