Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, the Northern Army commander, revealed on Friday that Pakistan is making persistent efforts to infiltrate foreign terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir. He emphasized the presence of retired soldiers from Pakistan in the ranks of militants. Dwivedi's comments came following the tragic loss of five army personnel, including two captains, in clashes with terrorists in the Bajimaal area of Rajouri district's Dharmsal belt, as reported by PTI.
Security forces successfully neutralized two terrorists, one of them being a Pakistan-based top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander trained in Afghanistan. Dwivedi informed reporters that operations have been intensified in the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch to eliminate over two dozen foreign terrorists within a year. The killing of these two significant foreign terrorists dealt a major blow to Pakistan's attempts to destabilize the region.
Dwivedi acknowledged the challenge of pushing foreign terrorists into the region due to the lack of local support, especially from the youth who are reluctant to join terrorist ranks. He affirmed ongoing efforts to neutralize foreign terrorists and, when asked about Pakistan's potential plans to disrupt upcoming elections, he confirmed the affirmative without divulging details.
Regarding the number of active terrorists in the Rajouri-Poonch belt, Dwivedi mentioned fluctuations but expressed confidence that the situation would be under control within a year through intensified operations by the army, police, and intelligence agencies.
The army commander praised the sacrifice of the five soldiers, emphasizing that it led to the neutralization of the two dreaded terrorists responsible for multiple civilian killings and attacks on security forces. Dwivedi highlighted the high level of training of these foreign terrorists, stating that their elimination was a commendable feat by the brave soldiers.
During the wreath-laying ceremony for the fallen soldiers, Lieutenant General Dwivedi, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and other dignitaries paid tribute. Dwivedi shared insights from his recent interaction with one of the captains, highlighting the soldier's commitment to making a significant impact within seven days.
In the aftermath of the encounter, the Lt Governor expressed condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers, and Dwivedi praised the local populace for their support, noting that the success was a result of their collaboration with the army. The elimination of the top LeT commander, Quari, was deemed not only a significant achievement for security forces but also a morale booster for civilians, instilling confidence and encouraging more support in counter-terrorism efforts.
