Proxy war in J&K slowing
SRINAGAR, Jan 11 — Nearly 50 per cent of militants killed in Kashmir last year were foreigners and "they are likely to use better weapons and technology in future". But the "proxy war waged by forces from across the border" is expected to "slow down further" and "downward trend of militancy to continue", said Maj Gen A.S. Sihota, officiating 15 Corps Commander here today.

Proxy war in J&K slowing
Tribune News Service

SRINAGAR, Jan 11 — Nearly 50 per cent of militants killed in Kashmir last year were foreigners and "they are likely to use better weapons and technology in future". But the "proxy war waged by forces from across the border" is expected to "slow down further" and "downward trend of militancy to continue", said Maj Gen A.S. Sihota, officiating 15 Corps Commander here today.

Addressing a news conference, Maj Gen A.S. Sihota said that the "proxy war being perpetuated by the neighbouring Pakistan" was slowing down. Foreign militants came at the behest of Pakistan and "come for money only". Maj Gen Sihota said the Army was geared up to fight militants with sophisticated weapons. He denied reports that a resurgence had taken place in parts of Srinagar which witnessed at least four encounters between security forces and foreign militants during the past two months.

693 militants and 102 Army men were killed in 1997 against 496 militants and 69 Army men in 1998. "This is a downward trend", Maj Gen Sihota said. He, however added that there was an increase in the number of foreign militants. Out of 693 militants killed in 1997, 215 were foreigners. Against this the number of foreign militants killed in 1998 was 233 foreigners, 199 of them Pakistanis. Recoveries included 755 rifles, 41 machine guns, seven mortars, 163 rocket launchers, 19 flame throwers, two anti-aircraft guns/missiles and a host of grenades and explosives.

Referring to the firing along LoC, he said it was down to a trickle now after having been on a low key from January to June, intensifying between July and September and declining since.

"Overall firing along the LoC has been heavies during 1998 than the previous years". The firing was intended to "internationalise Kashmir" and facilitate infiltration and ex-filtration of militants.

"We have been engaged in preventing infiltration and this has been achieved to a great extent", Maj Gen Sihota stated.

There was a 30 per cent drop in infiltration which declined from 900 cases in 1996 and 955 cases in 1997 to 699 in 1998, he added.

Maj Gen A.S. Sihota admitted that the trends of infiltration and ex-filtration would continue in the coming months.

Pak troops suffered 65 casualties in retaliation by the Army in Kargil sector against only 20 casualties of the Army, and Pakistan suffered damage to 390 bunkers against damage to 120 bunkers on this side of the border. In other sectors along LoC Pakistan suffered 137 casualties against India's 32 casualties, Maj Gen Sihota said. He said that at least 432 field fortifications and bunkers of the Pakistani Army were damaged in these sectors against damage caused to 80 such fortifications on this side of the LoC.

Bid to blowup police station

SRINAGAR, Jan 11 (PTI) — Militants made an abortive bid to blow up a police station while a self-styled district commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen was killed and nine persons, including five Armymen, were wounded in the Kashmir valley since last evening.

Militants lobbed a powerful grenade at Safakadal police station in downtown Srinagar last night, but it missed the target and exploded on the road, injuring three persons, an official spokesman said.

The entire area was immediately sealed by police and CRPF personnel, who later burst tear gas shells and resorted to a lathi charge to chase away people who had put up a blockade in protest against the alleged harassment by the security forces.

The spokesman said the security forces in an ambush killed self-styled district chief of banned Hizbul Mujahideen Mohammad Hussain Baba alias Chota Saifullah at Mahmoodpora in Anantnag district yesterday.

Five Army personnel and a counter-insurgent sustained bullet injuries when militants ambushed an Army vehicle at Sangrama in the Sopore area of Baramula district last night, defence sources said.

Security forces arrested an Al-Jehad militant from Ahmadnagar in Srinagar along with a pistol and some ammunition, while five kg of explosive was recovered from a bus at Baramula district yesterday, the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, a demonstration was held in Kangan, 40 km from here on the Srinagar-Leh national highway, in protest against the alleged beating up of Mohammad Ashraf Rather and his family members, including women and children, by troops and some "pro-government" militants last night when he refused to hand over to them his car.

While shops and business establishments were closed in Kangan and the adjoining areas, the demonstration was called off following assurances by senior police officials that "action will be taken against the troops".