In ‘unusual’ move, Army deploys 500 Special Forces men in Jammu at one go

To combat and counter the sudden increase of deadly terror attacks south of the Pirpanjal mountain range, as many as 3,500 Army troops will be deployed in Jammu region—a move that reflects  a tactical change in the counter-insurgency strategy of the Indian security forces. These troops will be deployed in the challenging terrain stretching from Jammu-Kathua to Doda.

While about 500 Special Forces para-commandos have already been deployed, the deployment of about 3,000 infantry troops is soon to be completed, a senior security establishment source told THE WEEK.

“The plan is to alter and tweak the counter terror security grid in the region. Thickening of troop presence has a two-fold purpose—to increase and improve intelligence gathering and to deny local support to the terrorists,” the official said.

The deployment of about 500 para-commandos is being seen as an ‘unusual’ move.

The official said: “The deployment of nearly a battalion strength of SF men is indicative of the quality of opponents. It means these terrorists are very well trained. We suspect some of them may be experienced Afghanistan veterans.”

“They are using weapons that the US had left behind in Afghanistan and very sophisticated communication tools like advanced night sights devices. We also strongly suspect the likelihood of the presence of some retired and serving men of the Pakistani army.”

Earlier, official sources had told THE WEEK that there is an emerging pattern that the Pakistan’s spy agency ISI may be shifting focus from Afghanistan to Kashmir.

The official said that the terrorists had also changed their tactics with the attacks being undertaken by a group of 50-55 terrorists who are operating in groups of five or six. Although these attacks are claimed to have been undertaken by various militant outfits, it is believed that they are new fronts for old terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Muhammad or the Lashkar-e-Toiba.

The source added: “Terror attacks in a wide area results in the security forces to thin out their presence along the entire stretch. Moreover with much of the forces having been moved to eastern Ladakh, this stretch of very difficult terrain comprising high mountains, impenetrable jungles, inaccessible areas had left a huge gap and hence a security void. With more troops, this patch will be sealed off.”

Beginning with the terror attack on October 11, 2021 in Poonch to Tuesday’s attack in Doda where five soldiers including an officer fell, about 48 Indian Army men have lost their lives making the Jammu region the new epicenter of terror attacks in place of the traditional hotspots of north Kashmir.

On July 8, another five Indian Army soldiers had lost their lives and five injured in a well-planned ambush in Kathua district.