Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Dec 29: The year 2022 saw 115 encounters in which over 180 militants were killed while local militant recruitment remained lowest in the last six years in Jammu and Kashmir.
Majority of encounters were reported in the first six months of the year 2022. The last two months of the year bidding goodbye saw a few encounters only.
As per the details available, 180 militants of various outfits were killed in 115 encounters in the year 2022.
The slain militants include around 130 local militants and 50 non-locals including top commanders. Majority of slain militants belonged to the Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit.
Data reveals that Kupwara district reported nine encounters resulted in Killing of 16 militants including 12 affiliated with LeT and four with JeM. Baramulla district saw eight encounters which resulted in killing of 15 militants and among them eight were affiliated with LeT and seven with JeM.
Bandipora district reported three encounters resulted in the killing of two JeM militants. In Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, there was only one encounter in which one LeT militant was killed while Budgam district reported three encounters in which seven militants include four from LeT and three from JeM.
Summer capital Srinagar reported 11 encounters in which 19 militants were killed including 15 from LeT and four from AuGH.
In south Kashmir, Pulwama (along with Awantipora) reported at least 17 encounters where 37 militants including 17 from JeM, 16 from LeT and two each from AuGH and Al-Badr.
Anantnag district reported at least 12 encounters in which 19 militants were killed including 11 from HM, 6 from LeT and two from AuGH.
Shopian district reported at least 19 encounters in which 26 militants were killed including 20 from LeT, four from JeM and two from HM.
Kulgam district reported at least 18 encounters in which 23 militants were killed including 10 from JeM, 9 from LeT and two each from Al-Badr and HM.
Moreover, there were several encounters in several districts in which militants managed to give slip to forces after a brief exchange of fire.
Moreover, Jammu division reported nine encounters in which 13 militants were killed who were affiliated with LeT/JeM.
As per data, one militant was arrested during the encounter besides that around 130 militants/militant associates were arrested while six security forces were killed while 52 were injured during encounters in Kashmir division.
The figures also suggest that 32 civilians including Kashmiri Pandits, non-local labourers were killed in year 2022 in Kashmir among them two civilians were killed in grenade while one was killed in misfire in Hall Shopian.
Four civilians including one each from Pandoshan Shopian, Turkwangam Shopian, Amshipora Shopian and Redwani Kulgam during cross fire during encounters in the year 2022.
As per data 126 security forces were died in year 2022 in different incidents like attacks, suicide incidents, mysterious firing, heart attacks, IED, Avalanche, helicopter crash and hit and run incidents.
“In year 2022, around 100 youth joined militant ranks and among them around 65 were killed, 17 were arrested while the rest 20 are active. The figure is less since 2017 as in year 2017, 126 youth joined militant ranks, 218 in year 2018, 126 in 2019, 167 in 2020 and 128 in year 2021,” the figures reveal, adding that 53 youth had joined militant ranks in year 2014, 65 in year 2015 and 88 in year 2016.
