Click to play videoSrinagar: Three bloody encounters where three army men killed and seven troopers were injured. Despite the hefty cost, security forces have managed to deal what is perhaps a major blow to the Lashker E Taiba.
One of militants killed in an encounter in is Abu Hamza, a Pakistani who has been trying to bring the radical groups Al-Badr and Harkat-e-Jihadi Islami together.
“He was operating from the area since last four years and was resident of Pakistan. Abu Hamza was acting as coordinator of lashkar and al-badr and his elimination can be taken as a big success for security forces,” says ASP Sopore, B S Tutti.
While the police claims militancy is steeply on a decline, militants off late are engaging them regularly especially in the hinterland.
While security forces have been able to deal effectively with indigenous terror groups like Hizbul Mujahideen, the Lashkar remains its Achilles heel as the outfit remains faceless and without a clear hierarchical structure.
``Lashkar presence is quite good here, they are around a few hundreds,'' says DGP, Kuldeep Khuda.
Police say the number of militants operating in Kashmir is now only 850, as compared to thousands in the early 1990s. Despite the success though, its almost certain that the security grid will be put to test once again in March and April, as the infiltration bids rise.
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