Nazir Masoodi
The Indian Express
June 20, 1999
Title: 'Mongoloid' ultras across LoC worry forces Author: Nazir Masoodi Publication: The Indian Express Date: June 20, 1999 Heavily-Armed militants with 'Mongoloid' features have assembled at various launching pads near the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) under the cover of Pakistani artillery shelling. This likely new' dimension of insurgency in the Valley has left the security agencies, who are investigating the origin of these militants, a worried lot. Sources said the ongoing Kargil skirmishes have inspired militants in various training camps in PoK to infiltrate into the Kashmir Valley and offer a 'Kargil-like fight' to security forces. "There was no substantial loss to the intruders in Kargil even after the heavy artillery and air strikes. This may have inspired the militants to cross the LoC and intensify their subversive activities," sources said. A senior Army officer, however, said pre-emptive action by security forces has thwarted the designs of militants and their mentors across the LoC. He said recently, an infiltration bid in Machil sector was foiled by the forces, in which three foreign militants were killed. However, sources said the heavily armed group comprised 16-20 militants who engaged the Army and BSF in a week-long encounter. The Army also suffered two casualties even as a BSF jawan was injured in the fierce gun-battle. Sources said around 200-250 militants are waiting at the launching pads of Kail, Phulwali and Janwai near the LoC to sneak into this side. Doubts of a possible infiltration have reportedly been confirmed after forces captured a militant during the Machil encounter. Sources said the sector witnessed heavy infiltration last year when, in the second half of 1998,54 militants were killed while crossing the LoC. This year, at least five to seven groups have already succeeded in infiltrating from the Machil sector. Sources said militants lying in wait across the LoC seem to have their plans in place, given the numerous underground bunkers they have constructed to save them from any possible assault from the Indian side even as they try to infiltrate under cover of Pakistani shelling. Infiltrations from the Keran sector during the cross-border shelling have also been reported. Sources said four militants, who were killed in an encounter at Dard-bahak, Rationpora on June 17, were part of the 15-20 member infiltration group in Keran. However, security agencies maintained the group had not crossed over recently but was already in the area, and merely had fresh instructions to intensify their activities. A senior security forces officer said the 'Mongoloid' militants had been spotted at Tajian, Dudniyal and various other launching pads near the LoC. He said intelligence agencies had been asked to determine the origin of the infiltrators with 'Mongoloid' features as also the motives behind pushing them into Kashmir. Sources said the security forces have been put on maximum alert along the 265-km long LoC stretch in the frontier district of Kupwara - about two-third of the entire LoC in the State.
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