Operation 'Maa' by Army in Jammu Kashmir yields results

It was a quiet humane operation of approaching "Maa" (mor) launched by Kashmir-based XV Army Corps that saw around 50 Kashmiri youths return to rmal life this year, after abandoning terror groups y h joined. In this operation, Army, on directions of General Officer Commanding (GoC) of 15 Corps Lieutenant General Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, undertook an exercise in hunt for missing youths and approached ir families. strategically located 15 Corps, also kwn as Chinar Corps, is at forefront in fighting insurgency in Valley as well as countering Pakistan's actions on Line of Control (LoC).

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Lt Gen Dhillon on youths returning to families

"Do good and serve your mor, n your mor and n your mor and n your far. This is importance of mor in Holy Quran and that is what showed me way in order to bring se misguided youths back to ir families," Lt Gen Dhillon told PTI recently.

Showing messs of parents, whose identity is kept secret, Lt Gen Dhillon described m as "priceless gifts" from people of valley and one being full of respect for humane touch of Army. Gen Dhillon, who has served many tenures in valley since 1988, also mentioned that at some places, encounters were stopped right in middle of action to facilitate surrender of youths who h picked up guns.

"Upon receiving information that a local terrorist is trapped in an encounter, we make efforts to trace his mor and allow m to speak. "You kw some encounters have ended up with a magical hug between a mor and a son and that is what Army's efforts to save young kashmiri lives is all about. We don't count de but love ding number of young boys rejoining ir families," top Army commander said, ding, "I am gl that about 50 such youths have returned so far this year".

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He furr clarified that he prefers 'return' to 'surrender' in description of action of youths abandoning terrorism. Data compiled by Army showed that 83 per cent of youths joining various terrorgroups have h a record of stone pelting, which means that today's stone pelter is tomorrow's likely terrorist. Giving details of Army's success rate in tackling terrorism, Gen Dhillon said:

"Seven percent of youth who join terrorism are killed within first 10 days of picking up of arms, 9 percent within one month, 17 per cent in three months, 36 per cent in 6 months and 64 per cent in first one year itself." "In totality, shelf life of any youth picking up guns is one year and that is what was conveyed to parents. I am sure far would like to shoulder coffin of his child and re started this discreet operation of restoring smiles on faces of se family members," Gen Dhillon said.

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"Under this plan, I me it a point to reiterate my appeal to mors of valley to bring back ir children and results are quite encouraging," he said. Operations have been also undertaken in situations where a local Kashmiri youth is accompanying foreign terrorists in de of night. "Many of my men have even risked ir lives in separating a willing-to-surrender Kashmiri local terrorist from a foreigner so that he can be brought back to his family," Army commander said. general, however, me it clear that such gestures are t generally granted to foreign terrorists but anyone willing to surrender is more than welcome.

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Identities t disclosed

Gen Dhillon did t want to be drawn in a discussion on fate of youths who have returned to ir families. "re are some vultures across border who want to target se young boys. We have successfully mand to keep ir identity under wraps as I kw some would be attending college, some helping ir far in fields or some earning daily bre for ir families. I wish m good luck," he said.

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