Terror in the Valley and the Kabul connect

New Delhi, Oct 13: The recent killings of civilians in Jammu and Kashmir has created panic among the residents. There are multiple agencies now on the ground tracking down these faceless terrorists who have unleashed a reign of terror in the Valley.

When the Taliban took over Afghanistan, there were questions asked as to what impact it would have in Jammu and Kashmir. While it was clear that the Taliban was not going to send its men down to fight in J&K, it was the moral aspect to the victory of the outfit which became the problem.

Experts OneIndia spoke with said that the Taliban win was a moral victory for the terrorists operating in the Valley. The Taliban had ruled Afghanistan before the US invasion post the 9/11 attacks. However for the next 20 years, the Taliban kept up the fight and today is back in power. This only sends a message to the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir that it can win if it continues to fight.

Secondly, the kind of killings one has witnessed in J&K off late is very similar to the ones in Afghanistan. These are targeted killings of the minorities to drive fear into the minds of the people. This is something identical that we witness in Afghanistan. There have been cases where a list of minorities are prepared and they are specifically targeted.

Thirdly, with the Afghanistan battle won, the ISI in Pakistan has more time to devote towards J&K. It has been focusing all its resources to ensure that the Valley remains on the boil. While the infiltrations have been hard to execute, it has activated scores of lesser known terror groups with unknown faces.

A senior official explains, the problem with fighting this new wave of terror is that the terrorist is faceless. They tend to execute the job and then mingle into the crowd and then manage to get away.

These persons have not been profiled, their contacts or relatives remain unknown. This makes it hard to get intel on such persons.

The NIA has over the past week conducted several raids in Jammu and Kashmir. Scores of terror sympathisers have been detained. The raids that were conducted at Chattabal, Chanapora and Solina are aimed at cracking down on the Overground Workers of terror groups. While The Resistance Front has claimed responsibility for the killings, the NIA is also looking into the roles of the operatives part of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and Al-Badr.

The NIA in an official statement said that it had conducted raids at multiple locations in connection with the J&K terrorism conspiracy case. The case pertains to the conspiracy of conducting violent terror acts in J&K and other major cities by the cadres of the proscribed terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Tayiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Hizbul Mujahideen and their affiliates Al-Badr, The Resistance Front, People Against Fascist Forces, Mujahideen Ghazwatul Hind etc.