So far, 11 Armed Forces personnel have been killed by such groups, usually comprising three to five men, in six separate attacks this year.

The recent attacks that have rocked the Jammu region are suspected to have been perpetrated by a “fresh batch of terrorists” who infiltrated in the past six months and comprise fighters from Pakistan’s Punjab as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions, said sources. Most of them are suspected to be Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) recruits.

The groups are highly trained, motivated and those from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region may also have battle experience, including in Afghanistan, said sources in the security establishment. Former Pakistan Army soldiers may also be among them, added sources.

So far, 11 Armed Forces personnel have been killed by such groups, usually comprising three to five men, in six separate attacks this year. Most of these casualties have taken place in the past few weeks alone. Besides, nine passengers also died when a civilian bus was targeted in Reasi last month.

The recent incidents come on the back of a series of precision attacks in the Jammu region since October 2021. Before the June-July attacks this year, the Army had already lost close to 40 personnel since 2021. The earlier attacks, however, were focussed in the Poonch-Rajouri sector, near the Line of Control (LoC). But the recent attacks have moved deeper into regions such as Doda, Kathua and Reasi.

“This is a different batch of terrorists that has infiltrated in the past six months. The Poonch-Rajouri sector terrorists, we suspect, continue to operate in that region. The new batch is suspected to have been divided into four-five lean groups, which are operating with considerable stealth and are highly trained,” said a security establishment officer in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).