New Delhi [India], March 13 (ANI): A total of 76 terrorists, including 59 foreign militants from Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), are currently active in Jammu and Kashmir, government sources said on Thursday.

The data shows a sharp decline in the number of active terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, where a total of 91 terrorists were active in the corresponding period in 2024.

Among the 76 active terrorists, 17 are local terrorists operating within the Union Territory-- which has been hotspot for militancy and terrorism since the late 1980s, with insurgency fueled by Pakistan-based terror groups, cross-border infiltration, and radicalization efforts.

Of the 59 active Foreign Terrorists, the sources said, three belong to Hizbul Mujahideen, 21 from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and 35 from Lashkar-e-Taiba. However, three of 17 Local Terrorists are active in Jammu and 14 in the Valley.

Of the 91 active terrorists in 2024, 61 were foreign terrorists and 30 local terrorists.

The data mentions that a total of 135 terrorists were active in 2022. Of them, 85 were foreign terrorists, and 50 were local terrorists. Compared with the figure of active terrorists in 2022, there was a nearly 48. 35 per decline in the number of active terrorists in 2023.

Officers privy to the development told ANI that the majority of the active terrorists belong to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a proscribed terrorist organisation.

The continuous decline in the number of active terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir is the result of intensifying counter-terrorism operations in the region, focusing on tracking and neutralizing active militants.

The government has reiterated its commitment to eliminating terrorism and ensuring peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as intelligence agencies work to identify and dismantle terrorist networks operating in the region.

Pakistan-based groups, primarily JeM and LeT, have been responsible for major attacks, including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, the 2016 Uri attack, and the 2019 Pulwama bombing. These groups operate with logistical support from across the border, using infiltration routes along the Line of Control (LoC).

Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) has traditionally focused on recruiting local militants.

In recent years, radicalization via social media has contributed to the rise of 'homegrown' militants in Kashmir. However, recruitment has significantly declined due to security forces' targeted operations.

As per the data, a total of 72 terrorists were neutralised in 2023. Of them, 22 were local terrorists, and 50 were foreign terrorists. In 2022, a total of 187 terrorists were neutralized, comprising 130 local terrorists and 57 foreign terrorists.

While militancy-related violence and local recruitment have gone down significantly in Kashmir Valley, militants seem to have shifted the focus seemingly towards Jammu, which was a militancy-free region before August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was read down. (ANI)