New Delhi:
Close to 500 terrorists are at terror launch pads – double that in the last three years — waiting to infiltrate into India, and the military is ready to respond “at any level, any range, anywhere”, sources said on Monday. Security agencies are said to be preparing for a major terror threat around the festival season, far more serious than at this time of the year in previous years.
This morning, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat confirmed that Pakistan had very recently “reactivated” the terror camp in Balakot, which was bombed by India in February in response to a suicide attack at Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama in which 40 soldiers were killed.
General Rawat also said terror camps were active along the Line of Control and about 500 terrorists were waiting to infiltrate into India.
The information on the “revival” of Balakot came four days ago, say sources. The nature of the threat, they say, is “presently far more serious” than ahead of the festival season during other years.
“Our response will be at any level, any range, anywhere. Adequate plans are prepared,” army sources told NDTV. “15 Corps, based in Srinagar, isn’t only for defensive operations,” they remarked.
It is estimated that 60 terrorists have crossed over in the last two months, at the Line of Control as well as International Border.
Four or five terror launch pads are believed to be ready to push in terrorists. The increased activity, say sources, is linked to Pakistan’s anger over India’s decision on August 5 to scrap special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
The sources say there are adequate forces everywhere; troops are not being pushed in for now.
“The window for terrorist infiltration starts closing in by November depending on the sector … Gurez-Kargil-Machhil-Keran-Tangdhar-Uri close down, in that order, usually depending on snowfall, and open up for infiltration in the opposite way,” said army sources.
Speaking in Chennai this morning, the Army Chief had been asked whether the response to the “reactivation” of Balakot would be similar to the February 26 strike by the Indian Air Force, when a dozen fighters went deep inside Pakistan and bombed the sprawling terror compound.
“Why must you expect repeat of a similar thing, earlier we did something, then we did Balakot, why must we repeat? Why not keep the other side guessing as to what we will do? Why tell him what we are going to do, why not keep him guessing, why say repeat, why not something beyond that,” General Rawat had responded.
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