Militants face dearth of money, logistics support in J&K

Jammu, Aug 29 (UNI) Eighteen-year-long militancy in Jammu and Kashmir has reached a juncture where its cadres are facing ''acute shortage'' of arms, ammunition and money, former ultras feel.

Continuous counter-insurgency operations launched by security forces and distrust of local populace in 'jehad' have left militants in state with not enough arms and ammunition as it used to be during mid-nineties, Abdul Rashid, alias Jahangir, a self-styled commander of Pakistan-supported Hizb-ul Mujahideen (HM), who surrendered this morning, told UNI.

He said the militant cadres were facing ''acute fund shortage'' to run their ''jehadi movement''.

''Now the situation has entirely changed. Lack of money and other logistic support have broken the backbone of militancy in Doda,'' Jahangir said, adding many times they had to live without proper food in the thick forests.

The surrendered militant, who disclosed that he was trained at a Muzaffrabad camp in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in 1996, said ultras were not getting the people's support, which they used to get after they returned from Pok about ten years ago.

''They don't render favours to militants in Doda anymore,'' Jahangir's accomplice Bilal, who also laid down his weapons, said.

With the surrender of the duo before 4 Rashtriya Rifles and Police, the HM has lost its hold completely from the Thathri area of Doda district.

Now there is zero HM presence in Thathri and surrounding areas of the district,'' Bilal, who was made tehsil commander after the killing of Zargam Wasra, disclosed.

The HM cadres of yesterday marked mobile revolution as both boon and bane for militancy.

It has facilitated us in safe conversation as it can't be intercepted by security forces easily.

''But at the same time, mobile phone's common usage, helps security forces to get the tip-off of militants' presence at particular place through its local users,''the surrendered ultras said.

Pakistan-supported militancy perpetrators are still running training camps on the other side of LoC, they said, disclosing at least seven youths of Thathri were among hundreds waiting for a chance to sneak into the Indian side.

According to an official report, a total of 42,147 people, including 20,647 militants and 5,024 security personnel, were killed while 33,885 people, including 12,124 security personnel and 21,659 civilians, injured in the state between January 1990 and the middle of February 2007.

UNI