TRF, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba still active but, suffered huge casualties

There has been a tremendous decline in the recruitment of fresh ones into various groups, and as high as a 64.64 per cent rate of elimination of terrorists has been reported in the calendar year 2022. 

Official sources say during the year while 99 terrorists were recruited, and 73 of them were into TRF or LeT; as many as 64 of them were killed by the security forces. 

The Resistance Front (TRF) - an offshoot of Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba, remains quite active in Jammu and Kashmir and it could conduct maximum recruitment in 2022 among all terror outfits active within the Union Territory. 

Sources however say, there have been tremendous decline in recruitment of fresh ones into various groups and as high as 64.64 percent rate of elimination of terrorists have been reported in calendar year 2022. Official sources say during the year while 99 terrorists were recruited and 73 of them were into TRF or LeT; as many as 64 of them were killed by the security forces. During 2022, 13 terrorists were recruited into Jaish-e-Mohammad, six others had joined the Hizbul Mujhaheeden. Of them, of course, 64 were eliminated in multiple operations and encounters; and 17 of them were arrested and thus by the year end 18 of them remained 'still active'.

Sources say since 2016, maximum 201 terrorists were 'recruited fresh' in 2018 --- months before abrogation of the Article 370 and bifurcation of the state on Aug 5, 2019. While the recruitment figures dropped to 140 in 2019, there was a modest rise to 167 in 2020 and yet again in 2021, the recruitment numbers came down to 136.

Maximum of 75 fresh terror recruits were eliminated in 2021 and in 2018 and 2020, the terrorists killed were 71 (both years). Sources maintained that since bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir, there have a been significant improvement in the overall situation. In 2016, while 95 people had joined terror ranks; only eight were eliminated.

According to sources there has been "continuous decline" in recruitment of terrorists since 2016. However, security forces are still faced with the overall challenges on multiple fronts.

"The use of drones by Pakistan for sending weapons, issuing of online threats and hartal (Bandh) calls have added to the challenges," sources said adding, moreover there is a new trend of "hybrid terrorist" -- who can be called for "part time terror actions".

It is worth mentioning that the Union government had informed Parliament in July 2022 that there has been substantial decline in terrorist attacks from 417 in 2018 to 229 in 2021. 

Parliament was also informed by Union Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai that altogether 5,502 Pandits were provided government jobs in different departments of the government of  J&K in the Valley under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP). Further, as per the records, no Kashmiri Pandit has reportedly migrated from the valley during the said period. 

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