The spill of modern high-tech weapons and advanced night vision devices left behind by the Americans in Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul in August 2021 is now heading to the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir via the Pakistan through the Line of Control (LoC), Major General Ajay Chandpuria, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 19th Infantry Division stationed in Baramulla, North Kashmir, said in an exclusive chat with this journalist.
The 19th Infantry Division under 15th Chinar Corps oversees the counter-terrorism network and security preparedness along some crucial Line of Control areas with Pakistan in North Kashmir.
“The situation in Afghanistan has a profound impact on the security situation in our country and especially in Jammu and Kashmir. It is no secret that the various terrorist groups that were fighting the Americans in Afghanistan are now idle,” Major General Chandpuria said.
“Along with that, there are thousands of pieces of modern weaponry, night vision devices and other modern equipment that left behind by the Americans. A large portion would proliferate towards Pakistan and a portion would move closer to the Line of Control (LoC),” he added.
After the fall of Kabul, a number of terrorists held in Afghan prisons were reportedly released by the Taliban and the Haqqani network and sent to freedom in Pakistan.
Many of these veteran fighters from Jaish-e-Muhammad, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and other terrorist groups have reached various camps and launch pads in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Over the past year, a ceasefire has been achieved between India and Pakistan, limiting the "covering" fire that Pakistani troops usually give to make possible terrorist infiltration into India through the control line.
“According to our information, we are in the peak of winters with a lot of snow, which really limits the attempts to infiltrate here and since last year, according to the understanding of the ceasefire, we have more than 6 infiltration attempts that were neutralized," Major General Ajay Chandpuria said.
“At any point of time, we have around 100 to 130 terrorists who would be on the launch pads in front of our area. In the infiltration attempts that were neutralized, we recovered modern American assault rifles, modern generation thermal imaging night vision devices and similar equipment,” he says.
While 2021 has remained mostly peaceful in the Line of Control, there are fears following further recoveries and multiple agency reports that have indicated increased activity in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir, suggesting a possible infiltration plan by the summer of 2022.
"I think the apprehension of fighters operating in Afghanistan from these terrorist groups with modern weapons and equipment would certainly be present on the line of control and would try to infiltrate in the coming summers," Major General Ajay Chandpuria confirms.
The eerie calm after the repeal of Article 370 on August 5, 2019 in Jammu and Kashmir had led to downward terror graph in the valley.
However, the latest inputs of war veteran Afghan fighters with modern American equipment reaching the Line of Control to infiltrate India is a serious development following Pakistan's attempts to internationalize Kashmir again after several recent debacles.
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