Army knows how to deal with terrorists: Lt Gen Anbu

Misuse of social media a ‘time bomb’

15/02/2018



UDHAMPUR, Feb 14: Against the backdrop of Sunjwan terror attack, Army Commander Northern Command Lt Gen D Anbu on Wednesday said that terrorist outfits are hand in glove and planning attacks in the State, but the Army is well equipped and prepared to foil their nefarious designs.
“All three terrorist outfits namely HM, JeM or LeT are hand in glove whether it is in the Valley or in Jammu and there is no differentiation as they keep jumping from one ‘Tanzeem’ to another,” said the Army Commander while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday morning after Investiture Ceremony of Northern Command.
He said, “anybody who picks up arms and is against the state, is a terrorist and we will deal with them suitably as Army know how to tackle them.”
The reply came to a query seeking detail that Lashkar and Jaish had joined hands to carry attacks in Kashmir and Jammu respectively. “So far Rs 364 crores has been spent on security gadgets in the state,” he added and said that Army is having a large number of small units and it difficult to secure properly with immediate priority but still, they are not only being secured physically but also with installation of gadgets.
“We have to concentrate on three things, first to stop infiltration, secondly to eliminate the anti-nationals in the hinterland and thirdly to arrest the radical elements active in the region,” he asserted.
He added that in 2017, Army focused on to leadership of terrorists and the real concern is the increase of local terrorists taking up the arms, who are mostly in the age group of 20 to 30 years and maximum of them were belonging to poor families.
“Social media has played a larger part in engaging youth in militancy, if valley population is 60 lakhs, 40 lakh is youth and the radical elements are targeting them,” he added and said that families and even army has to play the key role to motivate these youth in other activities to channelize their energies positively.
On statement of Asadudin Owaisi saying that soldiers martyred in Jammu terror attack were Muslims, the Army Commander said, “in army there is ‘sarv dharam sthal’ and we do not communalise troops.
We don’t communalize martyrs and those making statements don’t know the Army well.” On shifting of training centers, the GOC-in-C said, “I always treat my subordinates in same manner and all are equal for me.
I never doubt anybody’s credentials who are under my Command. They are motivated and patriotic soldiers.”
However, on registration of FIR against Major Aditya, he said, “the matter is sub-judice but it will not let down the morale of the troops.”
On continuous ceasefire violations and number of Pakistani soldiers killed across the border while quoting the media reports, the Army Commander said, “as per reports 192 Pak soldiers were killed in Indian retaliation but as per our inputs, the figure is even higher.”
The GOC-in-C also said that there is direct role of Pak Army in planning attacks on Indian army.
The "pro-active" strategy in the aftermath of the 2016 Uri terror attack will continue as the Indian Army has dominated Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, a top commander of the force said today.
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen D Anbu also said that over three times more casualties had been inflicted on the adversary last year.
"Pakistan and its ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) is directly involved in terrorism not only in Jammu and Kashmir but also in neighbouring countries, as without its support, training and strategy, terrorism would not have lasted so long," he said after presenting gallantry awards at an Investiture Ceremony here.
The officer presented 39 Sena Medals and the 'Unit Appreciation' to 26 units for their outstanding performance in 2017.
On the Sunjuwan terror strike in the state on Saturday, he said, "It is the frustrated enemy (Pakistan) which does involve itself in such activities when it is not able to face us on the borders."
"It is but natural that the enemy is on the receiving end and looks for the easier alternative. While immediately behind the borders we have strengthened ourselves and we are very well prepared, it picked up soft targets," he said.
The officer said that you cannot have the same security like in borders at areas which are peaceful.
"I will not accept a single lapse on the border because it is supported to be protected. The Army spent almost Rs 364 crore on different things to build up the security of the soft elements on the LoC," the officer said.
"We got our acts together as far as surveillance, sentry duty and drills and other things are concerned besides the intelligence," he said.
The operations and the management of the LoC was quite complex, challenging and dynamic, and that over the past one year, things evolved continuously, Anbu said.
"We are working as per our strategy and will continue to do so. I want to assure you that we are not going to be cowed down by small incidents, 'fidayeen' (suicide) attacks or other things. We are not going to derail from our main course of action," the officer told reporters.
"We have adapted to it very well and in the whole year, we have dominated the adversary. It has been a pro-active action after the Uri incident and we have not looked back," Anbu said.
Militants on September 18, 2016, had stormed a battalion headquarters of the Army in North Kashmir's Uri town in the early hours, killing 17 jawans and injuring 20 other personnel.
On the casualties suffered by Pakistan in the retaliatory action to ceasefire violations, the officer said, "You do not come to know what is the damage caused across the border because our adversary does not believe in accepting the casualties. We are in a very dominating position."
Though some media reports suggest 192 fatal casualties were suffered by Pakistan along the LoC, the Army is not going to put a figure because of the simple reason that Pakistan has only admitted to 13 casualties, he said.
"However, through various sources, reports and assessments, it is three times more than what we have suffered. These are conservative estimates on our part, but it is much more," Anbu said.
The officer said that the Army was prioritising security of small camps in vulnerable areas and those which need immediate attention.
"The government has also came up with certain funds and I am sure we will be able not only to have a physical fence but also technology to assist it," he said.
The officer said that the Army's endeavour was to ensure "zero infiltration".
"Infiltration does take place. We endeavour to ensure zero infiltration that is our job and we put our best effort," he said.
The officer said that there was considerable reduction in infiltration, but the number of attempts almost doubled in 2007 compared to the previous year.
"This was the reason we were able to eliminate more (terrorists) last year. Their attempt is to keep the pot boiling," he said.
The terrorists present at training camps and launching pads are being pushed into this side. If we take south and north of Pir Panjal, 185 to 220 are always present in south and 195-220 continue to remain in north, Anbu said.
He also hit back at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's statement that Muslim soldiers were killed in the Sunjuwan attack, saying the Army does not communalise its soldiers.
"We take on the religion of our troops and we do not communalise any of them. There is 'sarva dharma sthal' in every formation. Go to Badamibagh (a cantonment in Srinagar) or Udhampur (the Northern Command headquarters) or even my residence," Northern Command chief Lt Gen D Anbu said.
The comment of the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the strategically-important Northern Command came a day after the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief slammed those questioning the patriotism of Muslims and Kashmiri Muslims.
Four Kashmiri soldiers were among the six Army personnel killed in the attack on the 36 Brigade of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry camp in Sunjuwan on Saturday.
"It is only for people who do not know the inside functioning of the armed forces. They are the one who are actually making such statements," he said, adding "they need to visit us to see themselves how we put everything aside and live together".
Owaisi, the MP from Hyderabad, had yesterday said the so-called "9 PM" nationalists (those who appear in prime time TV debates) question the nationalism of Muslims and Kashmiri Muslims.
"In this (Sunjuwan attack) incident, the Kashmiri Muslims have laid down their lives. Why aren't you talking about it? This is a reminder to all those nationalists who question my integrity and the love for this country," the AIMIM chief had said.
Anbu said, "The people of Jammu and Kashmir have shown (by participating in large numbers in the funeral prayers of the soldiers)... it is a testimony for all those who wanted to communalise it."
On the impact of an FIR over the killing of three youths in south Kashmir's Shopian district last month in which Major Aditya Kumar was named, he said, "I am heading the Northern Command and I can say it with confidence that the issue of Major Aditya has not dented the morale of my troops, not even a bit, not even an iota."
"I can say it with confidence because I meet them, I move around and I speak through my commanders and know the pulse," he said.
The officer said that there were no human rights (HRs) violation reported against the Army in the last one year.
"In the last one year, you have not seen any human rights violations taking place. That is (because of the) direction from me to the commanders. You will not find any one of them wilfully indulging in it. Our intentions are clear so there is nothing to worry about," he said.
However, Anbu said that the case was sub-judice and would take its own course.
The police had registered an FIR into the death of three youths and had mentioned that an Army team led by Major Aditya had to open fire on an unruly mob which was indulging in heavy stone pelting on a convoy led by him.
"The Defence minister had made a statement during her visit to Jammu that the government and the ministry of defence are totally behind the soldiers and armed forces," he said.
In response to a question about an insiders role in the Sunjuwan terror attack and any plans to shift the training centre of the regiment from Srinagar, Anbu said, "I am in a uniformed force and do not distinguish the personnel under my command. We do not work like that in the Indian Army."
"Someone who joins us gets motivated by our ethos and functioning, even if he is not motivated before. There is no doubt in my mind and our organisation is very strong. The new recruits mould into our system," he said.
Terming the misuse of social media a "time bomb" and a challenge for security agencies, a senior Army commander said today that local Kashmiri youths were being engaged via the medium from across the border on a minute-to-minute basis.
General-Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen D Anbu said that this in addition to the coming together of Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist groups is a matter of concern.
He said social media was playing a big role in the increase of violence in the state.
"The reach of the social media is so large and as such it is a time bomb for everybody," the Army commander said.
He, however, expressed hope that the Army would be able to reverse the trend, but said everybody - including the civil society - has a role to play in curbing the violence.
"Hizbul Mujahideen, LeT and JeM are hand in glove with each other after coming together in the later part of last year," Lt Gen Anbu told reporters here.
"(But) It will be taken care of," the Army commander said.
His remarks came at a time when the security agencies, including the Army, have been battling increased attempts by terrorist groups to target them.
Last week, terrorists targeted an Army camp in Jammu and killed seven people, including six Army personnel. On Monday, two terrorists tried to attack a CRPF camp in Srinagar. After a 32-hour gunbattle, the security forces killed the attackers.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who visited Jammu on Monday following the attack on the Army camp, blamed Pakistan for the terror attack on Sunjuwan military camp and said it will pay for the "misadventure".
Lt Gen Anbu attributed the increase in violence to the euphoria generated after the death of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, who was killed in a security operation in July 2016. Months-long unrest had followed his killing.
"The curve (of violence) will take a while to come down," he said.
Referring to the media reports that said the Army was unable to visit certain pockets in Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama in south Kashmir last year, the Army commander said the situation has changed for good over time, and not only the Army, even the political leadership and elected members are freely moving in the areas.
"We reached out to the people as well as the militants. When you carry out more operations, the tempo will be more so the contact with terrorists leading to their elimination. Some people also get killed or injured in the bargain.
"You will not find any terrorist initiated action happening... We want the situation to come under control. When you sustain the tempo for a longer period, it will come down. You cannot have a short-term solution and jump to any conclusion," he said.
On stone-pelting incidents to hamper counter-insurgency operations, Lt Gen Anbu said the mechanism to keep people away from encounter sites has paid well.
"The system worked... When the operation is a planned one the stone-pelting is being tackled by police and CRPF but when the operation is sudden the Army columns do come under stone pelting," he said.
On the trend of local youths joining militant groups, he said it is a cause of concern for all of us.
"When we are looking at terrorism as a whole per se, we look at three things - we need to stop infiltration from across the border, in the hinterland, whosoever is already there we need to eliminate them. And the third, the capability to induce the locals which is being the latest trend for the last couple of years which we need to arrest.
"If we will address all the three, you will achieve success and if anyone of them is not really paying up then you are not going to succeed as one would like. Last year, we focused on the leadership of terrorists and we were able to eliminate many of them," he said.
Suggesting action against overground workers, he said "not only terrorists, overground workers need to be equally targeted. These two factors, if we are able to address will slowly come down the level of violence. He said the local youth joining militancy are no threat to the Army as they are not well trained and do not have weapons either.
He said there is a need to reach out to people and make them understand the futility of terrorism.
He said the Army is doing its bit and carrying out operations to tackle terrorists and reaching out to people.

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