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Indian Army gearing up for major push in J&K

IRNA

 Srinagar, June 8, IRNA -- While diplomatic activity to normalize      
relations with Pakistan gains momentum, Indian Army is gearing up for 
a major anti-militancy operation in Jammu and Kashmir.                
    Reports reaching here said nearly 10,000 troops have been deployed
to battle guerrillas hiding near a desolate mountain range bordering  
Pakistan.                                                             
    The operation will come close on the heels of a major drive, code-
named "Sarp Vinash" (Annihilation of Snakes), that resulted in the    
killing of nearly 100 Muslim guerrillas and the busting of an equal   
number of hideouts in the area around Surankote in the district of    
Poonch which is situated on dividing Line of Control over the past six
weeks.                                                                
    The decision to launch a drive against Kashmiri guerrillas near   
the high altitude Pir Pantsal range has been cleared by the top       
political leadership, news reports here quoting sources said.         
    According to these reports Special Forces and 10 battalions, or   
nearly 10,000 soldiers, will be used for the proposed drive in the    
rugged terrain of the Poonch-Nausher sector in south Kashmir.         
Helicopters will be used extensively in the drive, these reports said.
    The Hilkaka region near Surankote which will be the main target of
the new offensive had become a major staging post for guerrillas      
sneaking across the LoC, army officials said.                         
    The guerrillas used it as a launch pad into the Kashmir Valley,   
located across the Pir Panjal range. The army is now making some      
readjustment to troop deployments in areas like Doda and Rajouri in   
Jammu as well as the Kashmir Valley for its proposed drive.           
    The first phase of the drive will be launched in Muslim inhabited 
Doda district by troops from the elite 'Delta Force', a counter-      
insurgency formation.                                                 
    Indian army has also started fencing 275 km of LoC. Nearly 4,000  
personnel are involved in the task, reports said. The defense ministry
plans to fence 600 km of the 742-km LoC by next year.                 
    "Parts of this fences will be electrified to prevent terrorist    
incursions," said a senior army official. The army has also stepped up
deployment along LoC of anti-infiltration devices like ground sensors 
and infrared sensors procured from the US and Israel. But army        
officials admit they will face major problems in sustaining the       
counter-insurgency drive, especially the challenge of maintaining     
large numbers of troops in areas that have no roads or even mule      
tracks.                                                               
/HM                                                                   
End