After destroying six to eight terror launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir by carrying out ‘surgical strikes’, the Indian armed forces have said that they need only a sustained six-month campaign to seriously damage the terror infrastructure in PoK.
According to a Times of India report, top military officers, speaking off record, said that after Indian Army carried out surgical strikes last week, the armed forces brass had told the government that off and on strikes will not damage terrorists’ capabilities, and a medium-term plan is needed to suppress them.
It is believed that PoK is home to more than 40 terror training camps and around 50 launch pads, which host more than 200 terrorists, close to LoC on the PoK side.
Referring to the terrorist attack on a Border Security Force-Army camp in Baramulla on Sunday, the senior strategists of the armed forces told the government that the nation should be prepared for repercussions in Kashmir.
The strategists further added that a determined campaign is needed to target terror launch pads in PoK for such attacks.
“We have to look at a sustained campaign. The terror network is on the back foot, but to really achieve something, we have to look at a medium-term plan, a six-month campaign. A one-off event will not deter them,” a top Army official was quoted by Times of India as saying.
The strategists feel that in order to avenge the ‘surgical strikes’ carried out by Indian Army, Pakistan-based terror handlers will try to push in more terrorists across the LoC in the coming days.
They further added that as more terror launch pads are expected to come up in PoK, they need to be neutralised.
The top officials of the Indian Army have also told the government that after the surgical strikes, the security in the Valley and along the border needs to be beefed up. Also, the government needs to think of smarter political approaches in the Valley that include “credible healing touches”.
The armed forces brass also feels that the ‘surgical strikes’ by the Indian Army have demoralised the groups in the Valley that help terrorists, which in turn can be a good opportunity for further action.
“We have the opportunity right now. Everyone is geared up and we have a much stronger hold on LoC than the other side. This is the time to make an actual difference that will deter cross-border terror support,” said another top Army official.
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