J&K: 191 local joined terror groups in 2018

Jammu, Feb 05: As many as 191 local youths joined various terror outfits in Jammu & Kashmir in 2018, 65 more than 2017, a senior Army official said.

The new recruits mostly hailed from the restive south Kashmir region, he added.

"As many as 191 Kashmiri youths joined terrorism in 2018," the official told.

In 2017, 126 locals had joined terrorist ranks, he said.

South Kashmir districts - Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag - have become a breeding ground for terrorists with many youths joining their rank and file, the officer said.

Outfits like the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Lashker-e- Taiba find more recruits, he said.

The official said out of the 191 recruits in 2018, 139 alone hailed from south Kashmir. The highest - 59 - was from Pulwama, he added.

In 2016, the official said, 88 Kashmiri youths had joined terrorism.

Since 2016, there has been a constant rise in the number, he added. As many as 66 in 2015 and 53 in 2014. In 2010, 54 youths had joined terrorism, while in 2011 the number came down to 23. It further dipped to 21 in 2012 and 16 in 2013, the official said.