Security situation in J&K improved in 2015: Army

There has been a significant improvement in the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir during 2015, the army said on Tuesday.

In its assessment of the security situation during 2015, Udhampur-based headquarters of the northern command said: "Ascendancy over terrorists was continued during 2015 despite the dynamics of Pakistan's involvement in the state."

The army said 100 terrorists were killed during the year, including some top commanders like Abu Qasim of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

"The counter-terrorist grid continued to maintain dominance and deny any space to terrorists. Synergised hard intelligence-based joint operations with state police and central paramilitary forces have been the hallmark of these operations.

"During the year... over 100 terrorists have been neutralised, including some top terrorist commanders like Abu Qasim, LeT, who was responsible for the Hyderpora attack on an Army convoy in 2013," an army statement said.

The army said "there has been significant improvement in the counter-infiltration profile along the LoC. This year, as per assessment of various agencies, there has been significant reduction in infiltration".

"In 2014, there had been 221 infiltration attempts on the LoC while this year up to September 30, the number of infiltration bids came down to 92."

"The number of ceasefire violations by Pakistan on the LoC during 2014 was 583 and up to June 2015 these came down to 199. Four soldiers were martyred in ceasefire violations last year while two were killed in these violations this year," according to statement.

It said enhanced vigilance levels and increased security measures have restricted terrorist-initiated incidences this year, and added that 350 weapons and 40 IEDs were recovered in operations in 2015.

The assessment, however, admitted that continuing of local recruitment by various terror groups in the state still remains an area of serious concern for the security forces.

The statement said the situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China was stable and the mechanism of border personnel meetings (BPMs) between the two countries was working well.

The army expressed satisfaction over its efforts to win the hearts and minds of the people through promotional programmes in education, women's empowerment, tours, disaster management, relief, and rescue.

Colonel S.D. Goswami, spokesperson of the army's northern command said: "Though there has been an overall improvement in the security situation in the state, this cannot be construed as return of normalcy as Pakistan continues to abet terrorism to keep the situation volatile."