Pakistan reactivates BATs along LoC in J&K

Pakistan army and its spy agency ISI has reactivated Border Action Teams (BATs) along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Poonch of Jammu and Kashmir to assist the terrorists carrying out attacks on Indian army and civilians in the twin districts.

According to defence experts Pakistan's Special Services Group (SSG) forms the core of the BAT while dreaded terrorists from Lashkar-e-Toiba, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammad outfits are its part for trans-LoC action up to a depth of one to three kilometres.

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The BAT teams were spotted in Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Krishna Ghati and Bimber Gali sectors in recent days, sources said. The Mujahid Battalion and BAT are helping the terrorists to infiltrate into Rajouri and Poonch through the jungles.

“BATs are active at three places in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). There is movement of terrorists in villages near Pir Kalanjar, Dotilla and KG Top in PoK,” they said.

The BATs were responsible for the brutal killing of several Indian soldiers in the last one decade along the LoC in J&K.

Cross-border raids by BATs are normally undertaken by a group of six to seven Pakistan army soldiers mixed with a few terrorists after systematic reconnaissance of vulnerable spots and studying the deployment and patrolling patterns of Indian troops along the 778-km long LoC.