Author: Rahul Datta/ New Delhi
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: June 5, 2003
The Army is in the process of fine-tuning
its biggest ever operations against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir after
getting the nod from the top political leadership.
Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani
was apprised of the magnitude of the proposed operations by director general
military intelligence (DGMI) Lt General R Khare and his team, comprising
officers from the directorate of military operations on Tuesday.
Mr Advani was also briefed about
the current status of terrorist infrastructure, including training camps
thriving in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). In fact, some of the camps
were hardly 15 to 20 kms away from the Line Of Control (LoC), he was informed.
The counter-insurgency drive, as
explained to the political leadership, would entail more than 40,000 securitymen
busting the hideouts of the terrorists belonging to various 'tanzeems'
(organisations) in remote areas, sources said here on Wednesday.
Moreover, the focus would be on
going after the insurgents in these far flung and thickly wooded zones
and force them to come down to populated areas. Once contact id made with
the local population, real time intelligence would help the security forces
target the terrorists, they added.
The operations, to be carried out
in the rugged terrain south and north of Pir Panjal mountain ranges, would
also see the Srinagar based 15 Corps and Nagrota based 16 Corps interchanging
roles to tighten the counter-insurgency grid.
It would provide more flexibility
to the operational commanders in going after the terrorists, sources said.
Given the massive scale of the operations,
the Army had already started internal readjustment and movement of troops
in areas like Doda and Rajouri in Jammu division and some vital sectors
in the Kashmir valley. Incidentally, the 15 Corps looks after the Kashmir
sector while the 16 Corps is responsible for Jammu division.
It was also learnt that the operations
would be carried out in phases, with great emphasis on avoiding any collateral
damage. Various agencies of the central and state government were working
in tandem with the security forces in this regard, sources said.
The proposed actions got a fillip
after the Army's successful 'Operation Sarp Vinash' in Surankote region
of Rajouri district in Jammu division last month. The large-scale operation
saw the Army constructing helipads and an 18 km long road to ensure smooth
flow of logistics to higher reaches of Hill Kaka touching more than 10,000
feet. "Operation Sarp Vinash" was conducted by the Romeo force of the Rashtriya
Rifles and specialised troops from some other units.
The next operation would be in Doda
under the command of Delta Force. Sources pointed out that the Corps commanders
of 15 and 16 Corps, both of Lt General rank, were personally monitoring
the ground situation and counter-insurgency strategy.
