The encounter in Manigah forests located on the heights of Kupwara, which has entered into fourth week now (Representational image)
A high alert has been sounded along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir as infiltration from across the border has seen a sudden spurt. Terror groups including banned Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) believed to have sent nearly 20-25 cadres in the last 10 weeks.
The terror activities in Kupwara district over the last eight weeks are suggesting that infiltration from Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) has increased and these terror groups want to set up base in North Kashmir where the presence has been weak of both the Pakistan-based terror outfits, official sources said today.
A thorough analysis of intelligence inputs gathered from various agencies indicate that nearly 25 terrorists may have entered into the higher reaches of Kupwara and were trying to find their way into Kashmir, the sources said.
The encounter in Manigah forests located on the heights of Kupwara, which has entered into fourth week now, has seen intermittent exchanges of fire between terrorists and army.
It is estimated that nearly 10 LeT terrorists had crossed Shamsabari range along the Line of Control before moving into Manigah forests and taking refugee in 'Dhoks' (temporary accommodation) of nomads before merging with the locals.
Two terrorists, one in gun fight and the other due to cold, have died so far and hunt is on for the others, the sources said.
The possibility of some of the militants having slipped into Lolab valley cannot be ruled out as well, they said.
The recent unsuccessful suicide attack on an army camp in Tangdhar was seen as a diversionary tactics by terror groups so that pressure was eased at other points for allowing militants to sneak in, the sources said.
Three terrorists and a civilian was killed on November 25 when army foiled the suicide attack.