‘Large drop’ in terrorist recruitment in Jammu & Kashmir; foreign recruits outnumber locals!

Security authorities announced on November 2 that the number of recruitment in terrorist organisations in Jammu and Kashmir has decreased this year, which is a significant accomplishment. According to statistics cited in the government’s data, there were an estimated 134 active terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir as of October 31 this year. Notably, the number is lower than it was the previous year.

Of the 134 active terrorists in the Valley, data recently provided with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) showed that just 51 were local terrorists. The 83 listed terrorists allegedly crossed into India from other countries, particularly Pakistan. This is the first time that the number of local terrorists is less than the number of foreign terrorists.

‘The majority of the terrorists named in the data belonged to groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, its offshoot The Resistance Front, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Hizbul Mujahideen’, according to an official reported by news agency ANI.  184 active terrorists were reportedly present in the Valley last year, according to government data. 99 of the reported terrorists were domestic terrorists, while 85 were terrorists from outside countries.

A significant drop!
One important step toward reducing terrorism in the union territory is thought to be the decline in new members joining terrorist organisations in Jammu and Kashmir. Notably, the accomplishment occurred three years after the Narendra Modi-led federal government abolished Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and established two new Union Territories (UT) in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

The administration and security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir also took a number of other steps to slow the expansion of the terrorist group in the Kashmir valley. Another indicator of normalcy is the growth of the tourist industry in Kashmir Valley. Various terrorist organisations have reportedly hired almost 700 local teenagers in Jammu and Kashmir over the past four years, according to ANI. It is significant to note that after local terrorist Burhan Wani was slain in 2016, there was an uptick in terror recruiting.