Homegrown terrorists major challenge for security forces in J&K

New Delhi: Security agencies deployed in counter-terrorism operations in Jammu & Kashmir have been facing a strategic challenge as Pakistan-based terrorist organizations have been recruiting local youths to carry out subversive activities. "It's really a challenge for us. They (terrorist organizations) are recruiting local youths to carry out their activities...there is a sudden spike in homegrown terrorism," said a senior official from a security agency.

When asked about the modus operandi of the terrorist organizations for recruiting local youths, the official said that the youths are radicalized and motivated by religious leaders. "The youths are recruited following a massive radicalization and motivation being provided by religious teachers," the official said.

As per statistics available from the security agencies, 187 local youths were recruited by terrorist organizations in 2018, followed by 121 in 2019, 181 in 2020, 142 in 2021, and 28 in 2022. The official has pointed out that the terrorists being killed in encounters with security agencies also witnessed a reversal as more local terrorists are getting killed in anti-terror operations. "Homegrown terrorism increased exponentially in last two years upto 60 percent," said a senior official in the CRPF to ETV Bharat in New Delhi.

As per data, among the 71 terrorists killed in the last year, 19 were foreign terrorists and 52 were local. At present, there are 163 active locals as well as foreign terrorists. It is worth mentioning that CRPF has been tasked with the assignment to wipe out Left Wing Extremists (LWE) from India in the next few years. Going ahead with their strategy, the CRPF has been setting up several forward operating bases (FOB) in LWE areas.

As per statistics, as many as 58 forward operating bases have been set up in LWE areas across different States. In 2020, a total of 23 FOBs have been set up followed by 30 FOBs in 2021 and 5 such FOBs in 2022. In Chhattisgarh which has been severely affected by the LWE, CRPF has set up as many as 20 FOBs in different areas including 13 in 2020, followed by 4 in 2021 and 3 this year.

"Apart from setting up FOBs, we are also concentrating on construction of roads in Naxal affected areas and accordingly several kilometers of roads have already been constructed," the CRPF official said.