NO ACTIVE TERRORISTS IN 3 DISTRICTS OF KASHMIR, SAYS ADGP

SRINAGAR: Three districts in Kashmir have zero “active terrorists” currently even as two prominent terror organisations, Lashkar-e-taiba (LET) and Jaishe-mohammed (JEM), have gone “headless” after security forces neutralised their operatives and commanders, a senior police officer said on Saturday.

He identified the three “terrorist-free” districts as Bandipora, Kupwara and Ganderbal.

The Kashmir region, that comprises 13 police districts, has 81 terrorists at present with 29 being local, while 52 are of foreign origin (Pakistanis), additional director general of police (Kashmir zone) Vijay Kumar said. He was interacting with a group of visiting journalists at the police control room here.

“The security forces have an upper hand now when it comes to containing terrorism and terrorists in the Valley. We are working to bring the figure of active, foreign and hybrid terrorists to less than 50 in the near future,” the officer said.

We are very hopeful of eradicating terrorism from Kashmir in the next two years, he asserted. Kumar said the LET and JEM are currently “headless” after the security forces neutralised their ranks in multiple encounters and operations.

Officials said Farooq Nalli, a Hizbul Mujahideen top operative, is the only active commander -- since 2015 -- and he is on the radar of the forces.

Kumar added that there were about 15-18 active “hybrid” terrorists.