Jammu, Feb 22: General Officer Commanding of Jammu-based White Knight Corps Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva on Saturday chaired a joint security review meeting here with a focus on maintaining peace in the region, the Army said.
The meeting comes amid intensified search operations across Jammu to counter terrorists, who have shown their presence in different districts of the division by carrying out several attacks last year.
According to the details available, the searches conducted by a joint team of J&K Police’s Special Operations Group led to the seizure of a substantial cache of arms and ammunition in Reasi District.
“The hideout, located in the remote Simbli-Shajroo forest area near Chakrass in Mahore was busted following credible intelligence inputs,” an official said.
He said that among the items recovered were four Under Barrel Grenade Launchers (UBGLs), one filled and three empty AK-47 magazines, 268 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, and four packets of detonators.
Another official said in the Pir Panjal area, multiple operations were initiated, with several joint operations carried out in the Doda-Kishtwar region.
“Similar operations have been launched in the Udhampur,” he added.
Cordon and search operations were also conducted in Mohalla Qasba, Allapir, Jaalian in Mandi, and Mankote in Poonch district. Other key areas under operation include Dera Ki Gali, Sunderbani, and Nowshera sectors in the Rajouri district, the official said.
Several locations in Poonch-Rajouri and higher reaches of Udhampur, Kathua, Doda, and Kishtwar, with a focus on the Khaderan forest, are under active search, the official said.
“These operations are being conducted in response to the presence of terrorists in the region. Searches will continue till the Jammu region is sanitized and made terror-free,” he added.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of a flag meeting held by Indian and Pakistan Armies on the Line of Control in Poonch to uphold the February 2021 ceasefire agreement.
Brigade commanders of the two countries held a flag meeting in the Poonch district to ease tension after recent skirmishes and improvised explosive device (IED) incidents along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border.
“Besides agreeing to uphold the ceasefire agreement renewed on February 25, 2021, commanders also agreed upon leveraging established communication channels to de-escalate tension,” an official said.
“Both sides emphasized the importance of the ceasefire agreement in maintaining stability along the border and LoC,” the official said.
He said the meeting between the two sides took place at the Chakkan-Da-Bagh crossing point, a designated spot for such interactions, against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the region.
The official said the meeting, which lasted approximately 75 minutes, was conducted in a cordial atmosphere. This meeting was significant as it was the first of its kind in four years, he added.
The official said the primary focus was to address the recent surge in cross-border firing and IED attacks that have disrupted peace along the LoC. “The primary objective of the meeting was to address the recent escalation in tensions along the LoC, driven by cross-border firing, sniper attacks, and IED incidents,” he said, adding, “Both sides stressed the importance of maintaining peace and stability along the border. They agreed to honor the ceasefire agreement in the larger interest of de-escalation.”
On February 11, an IED attack in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu claimed the lives of two Indian Army soldiers, including a Captain. This incident was followed by multiple ceasefire violations, resulting in injuries to soldiers on both sides and reported casualties on the Pakistani side due to Indian retaliatory actions.
The flag meeting comes at a time when intelligence reports suggest that the absence of significant snowfall this winter has left traditional infiltration routes accessible, potentially contributing to the recent uptick in hostile activities.
However, the Indian Army maintains that the ceasefire remains intact as per the mutual understanding, with minor incidents being a recurring feature along the LoC.
This meeting is viewed as a constructive step toward reducing hostilities and fostering dialogue between the two nations.