With Jaish From International Border, Lashkar From LoC, Pakistan Eyes 'Terror Base' in Jammu

Jammu: Blown with forces crushing their cadres in Kashmir valley, terror groups have now re-strategised their policy for Jammu and Kashmir and are now focusing on establishing a base in the Jammu region.

Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists, based at launchpads in Shakkargarh, are sneaking in from International Border in Jammu and Punjab while Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is pushing terrorists via Rajouri and Poonch district Line of Control.

Intelligence reports indicate that Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists have infiltrated via the International Border (IB) into Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.

Sources estimate that 20-25 JeM terrorists have entered Indian territory. Concurrently, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is using the Line of Control (LoC) route to push terrorists into the Rajouri and Poonch regions and their number is also somewhere close to 25.

The strategic shift is seen as part of Pakistan's strategy to destabilise the Jammu region.

140 Terrorists Active in J&K; Over 50 Foreign Terrorists In Jammu Since 2003

According to top police sources, there are currently 130 to 140 terrorists active in Jammu and Kashmir. Among them, 27 are local terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, with 23 operating in the Kashmir region and four in the Jammu region.

Additionally, there are 100 to 110 foreign terrorists active in the area, with 55 to 60 in Kashmir and 40 to 50 in Jammu. The numbers are conflicting as some officers say that the number of terrorists active in the region is way more as in Udhampur district only, 26 terrorists are active.

Forces See 'No Disruptions in Lok Sabha' As Pakistan's Strategy

Even though the number of terrorists in the Jammu region was all-time high and could have disrupted Lok Sabha Polls in Jammu and Kashmir, forces see this as part of Pakistan's strategy as they were well aware of the fact that any escalation during polls could lead to massive retaliation from India and Pakistan will have to beat the heat of it.

Top officials informed Republic, on July 3, that Pakistan was not in the mood to invite any full-scale escalation from India as targeting the festival of democracy could mean a full-scale war threat by Pakistan to India and could see retaliation accordingly.

The officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police maintained that there will be no direct threat to the upcoming Assembly Polls in Jammu and Kashmir directly, however, incidents parallel to polls cannot be ruled out.

10 Terror Linked Incidents in Last 90 Days in Jammu

Terrorists have upscaled the intensity of terror attacks in the otherwise peaceful Jammu region in the year 2024. Nine major terror-linked incidents have happened in the Jammu region including:

1. A Government Employee Mohd Razq was shot dead by terrorists on April 22 in the Shahdra Shareef area of Rajouri.

2. On April 28, Village defence group member Mohd Shareef was killed by terrorists in the Sang area of Basantgarh in Udhampur district.

3. On May 4, Corporal Vicky Pahade of the Indian Air Force was martyred in an ambush attack by terrorists in the Shahsitar area of Poonch when an IAF convoy was attacked by terrorists of Lashkar.

4. On June 09, 09 Shiv Khori Shrine pilgrims were killed in another ambush attack in the Reasi district of Jammu when Lashkar terrorists targeted a religious pilgrimage, the first in the last many years.

5. On June 11, Five army men and, a police officer got injured in an attack on a joint security picket of army and police in the Chattargala area of Bhaderwah, adjoining Kathua and CRPF jawan and two terrorists were killed during an encounter in Hiranagar area of Kathua.

6. On June 12, Head Constable Fareed Ahmed of Doda Special Operations Group got injured in an encounter in Gandoh tehsil of Doda district.

7. On June 26, Three Jaish terrorists were killed in the Sinoo forest area of Gandoh in Doda.

8. On July 07, One Army soldier got injured in a terror attack at a sentry post in the Manjakote area of Rajouri.

9. On July 08, Five soldiers were martyred while five got injured in an attack on an army truck in Kathua'a Badnota village.

10. On July 09, Terrorists fired upon the J&K Police post in Sang area of Udhampur after they were challenged leading to a brief encounter