177 militants killed this year: J&K police chief

In relentless anti-insurgency operations, security forces have killed 177 militants in 72 operations across Jammu and Kashmir this year.

"This year so far 177 militants have been killed in 72 operations which include 22 foreign militants as well," J&K police chief Dilbagh Singh told reporters in Srinagar.

As many as 157 militants were killed in Kashmir in 2019 while the number was 257 in 2018 which was the highest in a decade.

Singh said that Pakistan was trying to float new militant outfits to create confusion and "efforts were being made to revive Al-Badr."

"We are aware of this and counter-strategies are being adopted," the police chief said, adding that despite huge efforts by militants and their handlers across the border, 20 youth who had joined militancy returned back this year.

In 2019, out of 157 slain militants, 32 were Pakistanis and a majority of them (19) belonged to the Jaish-e-Mohammed outfit. In 2019, local militants accounted for 79% of the deaths in encounters while the number has grown to 88% this year.

A senior police officer said there are multiple reasons for the lesser deaths of Pakistani militants this year. "Pakistani Army and spy agency ISI has asked its operatives in the Valley to lie low as the sword of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) blacklisting was hanging over the neighboring country’s head," he said.

"It is evident that Pakistani militants are not engaging security forces this year as often. There have been hardly any fidayeen attacks or storming of security force premises this year," the officer said.

Besides, he said, this year it appears that the Pakistani militants were not leaving the jungles or are hiding in remote villages. "Things will be clear only in the next couple of months when snowfall starts in the upper reaches of the valley and militants will be forced to come down," the officer added.