Security forces killed 49 militants this year in J-K

Srinagar, Mar 28 (ANI): The Indian security forces eliminated 49 militants in Jammu and Kashmir during the year 2010, said Brigadier Gurmeet Singh, Commander of 15 Cops, here on Sunday.

"In this year, in our core zone of the Valley, we have eliminated 28 terrorists, which also includes those killed in the counter-terrorism grid....In the entire Jammu and Kashmir, this year we have eliminated 49 terrorists and in the corresponding period last year, 38 were eliminated," said Brigadier Singh, during a news conference.

He said that there are around 42 training camps existing across the Line of Control (LoC) out of which 34 are active.

"There are approximately 42 training camps, out of which 34 are active. There are 20 launch pads across our core zone and approximately 400 terrorists are waiting to infiltrate. I would like to highlight that our counter-infiltration grid is absolutely ....and we are prepared for any challenges. I would also like to highlight that counter-terrorism operations in our area is very effective," said Brigadier Singh.

Elaborating details of recent encounter in the Kern sector of Kupwara District, where eight militants of Laskhar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen were killed on Tuesday Brigadier Singh said militants were well prepared and heavily equipped.

In an earlier incident, security forces shot dead six militants on Saturday, when they were trying to cross into Kashmir Valley from the Pakistani side.

This was the third such infiltration attempt to be foiled in the last four days.

On Friday, in New Delhi, the Army Chief, General Deepak Kapoor said infiltration by militants from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir has increased, but India is capable of handling the situation.

"Infiltration has increased in Jammu and Kashmir this winter in comparison to last winter," Kapoor said.

"But we are fully capable of handling the situation," he added.

According to Defence Ministry, the Indian Army has foiled some 60 attempts of infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir since the beginning 2010.

This has sparked concern in the government, as intelligence inputs have suggested that militant groups in Pakistani Kashmir were desperately trying to revive terrorism in the state after a lull in 2009.(ANI)