60 foreign militants currently active in Jammu & Kashmir

New Delhi: Sixty foreign militants are currently active in Jammu and Kashmir, with local recruitment hitting an all-time low of 17 after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, said officials.

The recent surge in terrorist attacks in Jammu region has been attributed to the involvement of active foreign militants, with Union home minister Amit Shah recently directing security agencies to step up the fight against terrorism by aiming for "zero infiltration".

On January 30, while attempting to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), two militants said to be associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba were killed in a gunfight with the Army along the Line of Control in Poonch district of J&K.


The presence of foreign militants, despite the army and Border Security Force (BSF) claiming "zero infiltration", has been a cause of concern among the security agencies. These militants have been carrying out attacks on security forces in the Jammu region with logistical support from overground workers, said officials. Three security personnel were killed in the first two months of 2025, as per official data. In 2024, the number of active militants was 91, said officials.

Among the 60 active foreign militants, 35 are affiliated to LeT, 21 belong to Jaish-e-Mohammad and four are from Hizbul Mujahideen, according to officials. All three groups have been banned by the Union home ministry under UAPA.