400 militants may cross over, Army pushes limits

Srinagar: Ahead of elections, infiltration bids across the Line of Control have increased. As many as 400 militants are reportedly waiting to cross over from Pakistan and the Army has launched massive combing operations.

The Army has killed 28 militants over the past two weeks in Kupwara but it has also lost 11 men, mostly from the elite Special Forces in the jungle warfare.

With Taliban on the loose in Pakistan, security forces have intensified patrolling and reviewed security along the LoC. A greater synergy of intelligence sharing between police and army has thwarted many such incursions.

But despite the counter-infiltration measures, sources say 20-40 militants - mostly from the Lashkar-e-Toiba – may have managed to sneak in.

It’s a clear and present danger, especially with intercepts by security forces suggesting that the Taliban might give direct or indirect support to the militancy in Kashmir.