The successful operation executed by the security forces in which no losses were suffered by our troops except for an Army dog, Phantom, killed in action, certainly augurs well for our armed forces. (File)
On October 29, the Indian Army killed three terrorists in Jammu’s Akhnoor sector. The slain terrorists had made an abortive attempt to attack a security forces convoy. The attempted strike has reportedly been linked to People’s Anti-Fascists Front (PAFF), affiliated to Jaish-e-Mohammad. This encounter comes amidst an uptake in terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir over the last several months.
The successful operation executed by the security forces in which no losses were suffered by our troops except for an Army dog, Phantom, killed in action, certainly augurs well for our armed forces. The completion of operations that lasted for about 28 hours was followed by an organised press conference, addressed jointly by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the formation and the DIG in charge of the Jammu-Samba-Kathua range.
There are several key takeaways from this successful operation. The combat units and their leaders involved in such scenarios in future, ought to aspire for these gold standards.
Firstly, the alertness and response of the personnel forming part of the convoy that was fired upon by the terrorists was exemplary. On being fired upon during the morning hours of October 27, the troops retaliated by returning fire, thereby retaining the initiative. The outcome in such scenarios in counter-terror operations is often decided by the respective response in the first few minutes. The troops demonstrated very high standards of professionalism in being proactive. As a corollary to the action by the troops, the terrorists were not allowed any elbow room to manoeuvre. This localised their activities and an effective cordon around the area was achieved, which prevented the terrorists from escaping by taking advantage of cover and terrain.
Secondly, owing to a strong human intelligence (HUMINT) network in the region, the security forces, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir police (JAKP), were able to get information on the movement of terrorists even before they sprung the ambush. The troops on the ground, primarily owing to preliminary inputs were able to see the ball early, which made the difference by speedier orientation, decision and action. This further indicates that the local population remains the centre of gravity in a counter-terrorism milieu and always needs to be invested in.
Thirdly, the much-needed synergy amongst the stakeholders, especially the Army and the JAKP was of the desired levels. In counter-terrorism scenarios, it is a norm that the local information emanating from HUMINT makes the difference and generally the same is better with the local police. In ideal situations, the armed forces ought to supplement and not supplant the efforts of the state police. Vis-a-vis the Akhnoor operations, much desired symbiosis that manifested does set a gold standard to be emulated in times ahead.
Fourthly, the open terrain with negligible built-up area gave the allowance of employing Infantry Combat Vehicles (ICV) and the commanders on the ground took the bold decision to deploy these. The ICVs ferried the troops while closing in on the terrorists with adequate protection and speed. The challenges of terrain in terms of steep gradient were the most important factor, as per the GOC, to employ ICVs. In addition, as highlighted during the media interaction, since there did not exist any danger of collateral damage to civilian life and property, the Army went ahead with the audacious and out-of-the-box decision of utilising ICVs. Repeated emphasis by the GOC on the concept of “no damage to the locals” was the most humbling aspect that underlines the ethos of the Indian Army in counter-terror operations.
Last but not least, drones were employed in the operation to aid protracted surveillance that was maintained over the area during the encounter and also to identify the bodies of the slain militants. Also, employment of Artificial Intelligence was mentioned without divulging the details, for security reasons. This is an indicator of the endeavour on the part of the armed forces to be technologically abreast, at pace with increasing employment of disruptive technologies by non-state actors.
In a nutshell, the success achieved by the security forces in Akhnoor shall go a long way in boosting the morale of units that are combating terrorism in various parts of the country. The takeaways brought out above do set a benchmark for the troops and their leaders at the cutting edge of this grey zone conflict that is characterised by an adversary who has the advantage of initiative, ability to melt in the local population and disappear and support from across the borders. There could not have been a better toast by the security forces than the success in Akhnoor, one day after the ‘Infantry Day’ that is commemorated each year on October 27. This was the day in 1947 when the 1st Battalion of the Sikh Regiment landed at Srinagar airfield to protect the people of Jammu and Kashmir from the nefarious designs of raiders aided by Pakistan – the modus operandi that sadly carries on till today.
The writer is an Indian Army veteran who has commanded a Rashtriya Rifles battalion in J&K. He currently teaches at OP Jindal Global University, Sonepat, Haryana
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
First uploaded on: 01-11-2024 at 14:42 IST
