The year 2024 saw a huge decline in the recruitment of locals into militancy in Kashmir. Official figures reveal that only seven local youths joined militancy in 2024.
According to official figures, 22 youths joined militancy in 2022 and 100 in 2022. This year, 68 militants were killed in different operations, including 42 foreigners. Of these, 17 were killed during infiltration bids at the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB). The remaining were killed in encounters across various districts, including Kupwara, Baramulla, and Rajouri. Baramulla alone accounted for the deaths of 14 foreign militants in nine separate encounters.
The year also saw the killing of 30 civilians in militant-related incidents—an increase from 14 in 2023. During the same period, 28 security forces personnel were also killed.
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Some of the high-profile attacks included the firing in June on a pilgrim bus near Katra, which claimed nine lives and left over 40 injured. The violence escalated further in October when militants attacked a construction workers' camp in Gagangeer, Sonamarg, killing seven people, including a Kashmiri doctor.
However, the security forces achieved breakthroughs in several operations and killed top commanders, including Basit Ahmad Dar in Kulgam, Usman Lashkari in Srinagar, and Arbaz Mir in Anantnag belonging to The Resistance Front (TRF) and Hizbul Mujahideen respectively. This was followed by the killing of five Hizbul militants in a December operation in Kulgam.
Security officials say the near halt of local recruitment is an achievement. However, the continued threat posed by foreign operatives remains a challenge.
The security forces also launched a major crackdown against narco-terrorism. Narcotics smuggling has emerged as a huge challenge as thousands of youth have fallen prey to drug addiction in the Union territory. Effective measures taken by the police, including attaching the properties of those involved in the trade, have considerably reduced the availability of drugs in Kashmir. According to the doctors, these measures have brought down the number of such patients in hospitals.
