‘13 civilians, 20 armed forces personnel killed in 44 military Ops till Nov 15 this year; 58% decline in incidents compared to last year’
Srinagar: Since the government of India’s decision to revoke Article 370 and Article 35A on August 5, 2019, Jammu and Kashmir has experienced a notable decline in military operations, civilian casualties and improvements in law and order, marking a perceptible positive shift in the overall situation.
Figures accessed by the news agency Kashmir News Observer, till November 15 2023 there have been 33 casualties that include 13 civilians and 20 armed forces personnel. Also, there were 44 military operations and 41 incidents initiated by militants during this period
The data reveals that the abrogation of the Article 370 and Article 35A, led to a significant decline in militant activities in the Valley.
This includes a huge decrease in military Ops, civilian casualties, and improvements in law and order. Simultaneously, there has been a substantial reduction in local militant recruitment in JK. The intensified crackdown on militancy-related networks has continued across Jammu and Kashmir, with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and State Investigation Agency (SIA) conducting raids at numerous locations.
Comparing the data across the years, there was a substantial increase in civilian casualties from 2017 to 2019, marking a 125.5% rise. However, the following year, 2020, witnessed a decrease of 18.55% in total fatalities. Moving to 2021, there was a slight decrease of 17.82% in fatalities compared to the previous year.
The year 2022 continued this trend with a further 24.1% reduction in recorded fatalities. As of November 15th in the current year, there has been a decrease of 58.73% in casualties compared to the same period last year. From 2017 to 2019, there was a considerable increase of 64.55% in encounters and a substantial rise of 32.89% in incidents initiated by militants. However, in 2020, both encounters and incidents witnessed a decrease of 33.33% and 26.8%, respectively.
The following year, 2021, showed a 24% increase in military operations but a decrease of 26.14% in incidents initiated by millitants. I
n 2022, there was a substantial decrease of 14.89% in encounters, contrasting with a slight increase of 3.1% in militant-initiated incidents. As of November 15th in the current year, there has been a noticeable decrease of 59.09% in military operations compared to the same period last year. However, incidents initiated by militants have increased by 2.5%.
According to official data obtained by the news agency KNO, in 2017, there were 55 civilian casualties, and 91 armed forces personnel lost their lives. The same year recorded 189 military operations and 228 incidents initiated by militants.
“In 2019, there were 124 fatalities, comprising 44 civilians and 80 armed forces personnel. Also, the year witnessed 102 military operations and 153 incidents initiated by militants,” the data said.
Moreover, in 2020, there were 101 fatalities, involving 38 civilians and 63 armed forces personnel. The year also saw 126 incidents initiated by militants and recorded 188 military operations. In 2021, there were 83 recorded fatalities, comprising 41 civilians and 42 armed forces personnel. Also, the year saw 100 military operations and 129 incidents initiated by militants.
Likewise, in 2022, there were 63 recorded fatalities, involving 31 civilians and 32 armed forces personnel. The same year witnessed 117 military operations and 125 incidents initiated by militants.
Meanwhile, an official within Ministry of Home Affairs said, “The primary objective is to dismantle the militancy, with a focus on reinforcing measures to ensure lasting peace and stability in Jammu and Kashmir.”
“The strategies implemented to curb acts of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir encompass 24/7 checkpoints at strategic locations, group security in the form of static guards, and intensified Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) to effectively address challenges posed by militant organisations,” the official stated.
Furthermore, he said there is a commitment to real-time sharing of intelligence inputs among all security forces operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Day and night area domination is ensured through appropriate deployment, and preventive operations involve identifying strategic supporters of terrorism, launching investigations to expose their mechanisms, and identifying vulnerable spots to prevent militant attacks on civilians,” the official said.
The official further said the importance of sensitising ground personnel about the issue and implementing measures to counteract the machinations of militants and their supporters.
The official also the introduction of an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based facial recognition system in Jammu and Kashmir.
“This system aims to assist the police in tracing and monitoring militants, over ground workers, former militants, drug peddlers, and individuals wanted in other criminal activities,” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by FPK staff and is published from a syndicated feed from KNO.)
