General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps, Lt General DP Pandey on Thursday said that the infiltration attempts from the other side of the border into Jammu and Kashmir have gone down this year, adding that terror groups are trying to recruit young children aged 15-16 years. “The infiltration attempts are not serious as of now. The numbers have gone down this year. We are vigilant and totally prepared to ensure that no one is able to sneak in,” said Pandey said. Pandey also said that the violence has also reduced in the Union Territory this year, adding that terrorists are finding it hard to recruit people into the ranks of terrorists. Terror groups are finding it hard to recruit well-educated youth between 22-25 years of age. So now they are turning to young children aged 15-16 years old to join the ranks of terrorists. I am sure that these parameters are going in a direction which will ensure a better and safe environment for the people of Kashmir,” he added.
Regarding the Army’s activities to strengthen its relationship with the common citizens, Pandey said that the Army’s relations with the people are already pretty good and it is reflected in how they are allowed to carry out their operations. “We are engaging at various levels with the civil population. We are looking for support from civil society to end this cycle of violence,” he added.