Sleuths warn of suicide bombings using J&K recruits

NEW DELHI: The upsurge in violence in Jammu and Kashmir has been on expected lines with security forces sharing an apprehension that the summer would be difficult with surge in human bombings, based on intelligence inputs.

While the Pulwama suicide attack in February 2019 that led to the Balakot airstrikes was the biggest in years, there is anxiety that this summer could see more such incidents involving local recruits radicalised to target security forces.

Local recruits as poster boys for attacks on the armed forces are part of efforts to rebrand Pakistan backed terrorism as a Kashmir resistance movement.


The Resistance Front has claimed responsibility for the recent Keran incident and the Handwara fire fight, in which 10 security personnel were killed.

ET had reported recently that the new name for existing terror groups in Kashmir, after bringing local cadres under an umbrella, was meant to give Pakistan deniability and protect it against penal action by the FATF regime. There is also an assessment that the rechristening aims to remove the religious connotation and make the violence in Kashmir look like LTTE’s fight in the name of an ethnic state for Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Intelligence inputs have warned of human bombings directed at security forces in the valley and Jammu region, rather than civilian targets.

Ground units have been warned of the growing threat. Sources say that there is a likelihood of increased guerrilla style ambush attacks on forces. There have been consistent intelligence inputs since early this year that terror infrastructure and launch pads across the line of control have been on overdrive.

A spike in cross-border firings — typically used to distract troops and cover infiltration attempts — has been observed since March. It has reflected in the increased engagements between security forces and terrorists over the past few weeks. The security assessment is that such incidents are likely to go up significantly in coming days.