Srinagar: The security agencies on Saturday claimed that the intensified human intelligence supported by the technical surveillance was the major reason behind successful anti-militancy operations in Kashmir that saw the killing of a close to 100 militants since January this year so far, highest in almost a decade.
Top security officials revealed to KNO that all the operations against militants were conducted in a manner that no collateral damage takes place and 90 per cent of such operations were success.
“In just a few operations where we saw civilian causality, it was in the initial exchange of fire that led to civilian casualties,” said a security official.
He said that the law and order situations at the encounter sites were a reason for that but “due to the active support of community members including elders and the proper counselling of parents” the number of protests at the encounter sites decreased to a significant level making the job of security officials easy.
“Most of the operations in which top militant leadership was eliminated took place during the late night hours and with the first light of the day, we were able to withdraw the forces from the encounter spot which didn’t allow the locals to stage protests,” the officer revealed to KNO.
He said at during the gunfights where security agencies faced law and order situations, had low intensity. “We were able to ensure no collateral damage and no civilian killing at the encounter spots which otherwise was a concern for us,” the officer said, adding that even though 25 civilians were killed at the encounter sites this year, but “only seven were killed at the encounter sites, the figure far less than the previous years, especially 2017.”
Another security officer said that in 2018, 252 militants were killed, the highest ever in a decade but at the same time this year almost killing of 100 odd militants including top commanders, was also highest and first time since past ten years. “There is only one surviving militant commander that is Reyaz Naikoo of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. He is also on the radar and will be killed sooner or later,” the officer said.
