Army steps up CI activities following militants 'fatwa' to people

Jammu, Aug 19 (UNI) The Army has increased its vigilance near Line of Control (LoC) after militant outfits issued a 'fatwa' against the locals supporting the security forces, top military officials today said.

Undeterred by the militants' attempt ''to spread fear among the civilians'' living near the LoC, Army is determined to continue with its ''people-friendly counter insurgency operations,'' highly placed sources in Army told UNI.

Militants had reportedly killed two civilians since August 13, the day they had pasted two 'fatwa' posters on the pillars of a mosque at Kandi, about 25 kms from Rajouri, in Jammu region.

''Army has increased its activities (after the 'fatwa') and is looking at area domination,'' they said, adding that it is fully supporting the state machinery (police) in this regard, which has the responsibility of security of civilians.

''People-friendly counter insurgency operation will continue in the areas to curb the nefarious designs of the militant outfits, who had lost the support of locals,'' they said.

''The 'fatwa' issued on the behalf of some terrorist outfits -- signed by Hizb-ul Mujahideen militant commander Ali Hamza, warning people against celebrating the Independence Day and working for security forces -- is just an instrument to ''spread fear among the civilians,'' they added.

''Militants are much upset after being isolated by the locals, who have seen them issuing such 'fatwas' in the past as well.

''These (issuing 'fatwas') show nothing but their (militants') frustration,'' sources said.

To keep their activities going place, militancy perpetrators in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) need a strong local support in the bordering areas, so that the logistics help would be provided to their operatives in the other parts of Jammu and Kashmir.

With the barbed fencing along the LoC, the passage into Indian side have almost being plugged. The newly-trained militants, who somehow manage to intrude as the back up for their cadres, are not finding public support -- food and shelter -- to survive till they reach their target destination, the sources said.

''This has led to the dissuasion among the militants, who are running short of hands as well as finances to keep their activities in J and K at the desired pace,'' they added.

UNI