Forces planning a major op to kill foreign militants

■ ‘25-30 militants hiding in J&K mountains’

Having killed more than 100 militants in Kashmir this year, with 30 within this month, security forces now plan to launch a fresh operation to eliminate 25-30 foreign militants said to be hiding in higher mountain regions of South Kashmir. Security sources claim that while most top militants in South Kashmir have been eliminated, these foreign militants have gone into hiding in the mountains which are slightly difficult to access and are waiting for the right opportunity to come down to the Valley to launch fresh offensive against the forces.

“There is specific intelligence that following the massive onslaught against militants in Kashmir in which most of the top leaderships has been eliminated, some important foreign militants have gone into hiding in upper mountains of the regions. Since these mountain hideout are difficult to access we are planning a highly specialised operation in the coming days to flush them out,’’ a senior security official said.

For this, sources added, special units of the highly trained commandos from the Army and Central para-military forces are going to be deployed due to the tough mountain terrain.

Security officials claimed that these foreign militants were waiting for the right opportunity to come out of the hiding once winter sets in, making the mountain passes even more inaccessible for the security forces and then launch a fresh offensive.

“Large parts of South Kashmir are now free from militants but some of these who are hiding also need to be accounted for else they can create problem during the coming winter season,’’ the official added

Security forces have had major success against militants in the Kashmir Valley having 94 terrorists.

These include top commanders of the Islamic State Jammu and

Kashmir (ISJK) Adil Ahmad Wani, Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Parvaiz Ahmad Pandith and JeM commander Shakir Ahmed Itoo, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group commander Aaqib Ramzan Wani and Awanitpora JeM commander

Mohammad Maqbool Chopan. JeM top commander Fauji Bhai, who was a resident of Pakistan, HM top commander Manzoor Ahmad Kar, JeM commander Javaid Ahmad Zargar have also been neutralised.