Retired soldiers in Kashmir terror: Heightened vigilance urged

In a significant development, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi addressed the media on Friday, revealing that some of the terrorists recently neutralized in Jammu and Kashmir may have links to the Pakistan Army, raising concerns about the involvement of trained military personnel in terror activities.
Lt Gen Dwivedi stated, “Some of the terrorists have been found to be retired soldiers.” He highlighted that Pakistan seems to be orchestrating the infiltration of foreign terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir due to the scarcity of local recruits. The Indian Army is intensifying efforts to eliminate foreign terrorists operating in the region.
Security experts emphasize that factors like the hilly topography and the close proximity to the Line of Control (LoC) make areas like Rajouri and Poonch more susceptible to terror attacks.
Rajouri, being a transit route to Kashmir, becomes particularly vulnerable during the winter months when mountain passes to Kashmir are closed, shifting the focus to more accessible terrains like Rajouri. The mountainous terrain of Rajouri, with a maximum altitude of 4,535 meters in the Dhakiar-Rupri area on the Pir Panjal Range, provides strategic advantages for militants. The Line of Control runs along the southern Kali Dhar range for part of the way and the Koti Dhar range for the rest, making it a challenging and complex landscape for security forces.The revelation of retired soldiers among the neutralized terrorists raises concerns about the level of training and sophistication involved in terror activities, underlining the need for heightened vigilance and strategic counter-terrorism measures in the region.