UDHAMPUR: There are not more than a hundred foreign militants in Kashmir valley,
This claim was made by LT. Gen. D.S.R.Sahni, general officercom mandinginchief. Northern Command, while talking to a group of visiting newsmen here. The Army commander, who has been in charge of the operations in Kashmir and Sichen for the past three years, would be retiring on August31. Talking about the presence of foreign militants, he said that according to his personal assessment there would not be more than 50 of them in Kashmir. “As any head count was not possible, by any stretch of imagination there would not be more than a hundred,” he said. Already, more than 20 foreign militants have been killed, he added,
The GOC-in-O, explaining the presence of foreign mercenaries, Said that since Pakistani IS] felt that nothing sensational had been happening in Kashmir and the present Kashmiri leadership of militants had not been proving as desirable,
On the question of militants having some strongholds like Sopore, the Army commander said that Indian Army commander said that Indian Army has launched only “people friendly” operations in the valley and it was not a war with an enemy. We are dealing with our own people and the aim was not to alienate to masses,” he added.
He further said that it was only due to this reason that any major action has not been undertaken in Sopore which he described as “storehouse of weaponry,” Any operation in Sopore would take a heavy toll of civilians which the Army want to avoid because already the locals have suffered too much after two major unfortunate incidents of arson and killings there, he said.
On the overall situation in Kashmir, General Sahni said that although there was not much visible change in the scenario but there was “definitely light visible at the end of the tunnel.”
Article extracted from this publication >> September 3, 1993
