Srinagar: The anti-insurgency grid has been able to wipe out the top militant leadership in the Valley, a goal that was achieved after many years.
In less than six months this year, in massive anti-militancy operations, above 110 militants have been killed, with few fatalities to government forces. Several of these militants have been slain after the killing of Riyaz Naikoo, the commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, who was killed in the holy month of Ramzan.
According to the data on South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), an orginisation that maintains database and analytic context for research and analysis of all extremist movements in South Asia, four militants have been killed for each government forces’ personnel in anti-militancy operations this year. This is the highest since 2017 when the ratio was 1:3.
The top leaders killed include commanders like Riyaz Naikoo, Abdul Rehman alias Fauji Bhai, Zubair, Qari Yasir, Junaid Sehrai, Burhan Koka, Haider and Tayab Walid, a battery of insurgents responsible for keeping militancy alive in Kashmir.
The last time militancy was at such a low ebb was in the early 2000s. As per the data of Home Department GoI, the curve of militants’ operations was highest in early 1990s, with the peak at above 5,000 militant operations in a year. It reached its lowest in mid 2000, when militancy was said to be wiped out from the Valley.
By 2010, the number of militants’ operations was as low as 220 in a year. In 2012, Kashmir received the highest number of tourists in its history.
According to Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbagh Singh, the success is result of work done for the past three years, in which concerted efforts were made and coordination between intelligence agencies and armed forces was strengthened.
The success that Singh speaks of can be seen in the past two weeks, when about 40 militants have been killed in the twin southern districts of Shopian and Pulwama alone.

Junaid Nabi Bazaz