This is the most recent news from the battle front in occupied Kashmir (Jan 99). Insha’Allah it will be updated soon.
INDIAN ASSAULTS
According to the Kashmir Times, The India army in Held Kashmir in cooperation with the puppet regime in Srinagar has raised strong Special Police Force of 13000 men promising heavy emoluments, to deal with the current situation in the valley. This force has been lodged in special training camps at Jammu and New Delhi. These men are being trained to join the Indian army in its activities against the Mujahideen. The basic object of the new outfit is to find out the major hideouts of the Mujahideen, and thus help the occupation troops in crushing the freedom fighters.
Ironically, on one hand the special forces are being raised to demolish the Freedom movement in Kashmir, while on the other hand, the Indian media is propagating that situation in Kashmir has improved after elections in the valley and the induction of the Farooq Abdullah regime.
The hard facts, on the contrary, are that oppression in Kashmir has intensified under Farooq Abdullah, puppet regime as the incidence of custodial killings, molestation of Kashmiri women, demolition of Muslim’s property and arson, have gone up at an alarming rate.
Figures show that during the year 1998, 2000 Kashmiris were killed by the occupation troops, 200 Kashmiris died in police custody, 800 houses were demolished by using dynamite while there have been over 184 cases of molestation and 144 civilians of Azad Kashmir were also killed due to Indian firing. These cruelties are being perpetrated by the Indian troops who are supposed to be protecting the life and property of the citizens. According to the Amnesty International Report, during the last 9 years, some 2000 Kashmiris were abducted including Halima Butt, who headed the body of the abductee’s mothers. She was later killed by agents of the occupation troops. The India army is totally denying having a hand in the abductions.
According to a Sunday Times report, a group of persons armed with AK 47 rifles arrived at Halima’s house and asked for water and milk. She however asked them to show off upon which the assailants opened firing, killing Halima, 50 and her 13 years son on the spot.
The atrocities of the Indian troops are something unprecedented. There are common cases in which youths are made naked in the eyes of the mothers and sisters, boiling water is poured on them, chilies are sprinkled on them and they are thus made to die in acute pain and agony.
Three Kashmiri Mujahideen Muhammad Khalid, Muhammad Irfan and Muhammad Faheem who succeeded in reaching Pakistan after fleeing from the Kot Balwal jail in Jammu district, known as the most well-guarded jail in India, told an Urdu daily about the atrocities let loose on the prisoners. One of the youth Ifran said that he was kept at the Jammu Interrogation Cell for full one month. From Jammu, he was shifted to Delhi and lodged at the CBI investigation Unit where he was subjected to severe torture. His nails were pulled, electric current and burning cigarettes were applied on the sensitive parts of his body. He was forced to drink three buckets of water and was then hung upside down, and petrol was poured on his body. Muhammad Irfan said that hundreds of Kashmir youth lodged in these torture cells were meted out humiliating treatment and these things never found mention in the press. Most of these youth were killed due to torture at these cells. Irfan said that he remained at the Kot Balwal jail for three years and four months but during this lengthy period, he was not allowed excess to any Human rights man nor were their cases sent up to any Law Court.
Irfan said that after escape from jail, he and his colleagues had to travel for four days without any food. During this period, they hid themselves in a lake for nearly 16 hours and its shivering water made their bodies stiff. They fastened stones on their bellies to minimise the pain of hunger and at times, ate leaves of trees and grass to pull on.
The other Mujahid, Muhammad Saleem, while giving details of his Jihadic life, said that he attacked an Indian army convoy along with some colleagues and destroyed two army vehicles. In the attack, several troops were killed while hundreds others were injured.
He disclosed that on one occasion, the Indian army cordoned off the area where they were hiding. As he attempted to flee from there, the enemy spotted him and opened firing on him. However, he remained unhurt.
The troops challenged him, asking him to surrender. He however declined to oblige them, and declared that he would not surrender his gun as it was the gun of the Muslim Ummah. “Till the last drop of blood in my veins, I will defend this gun”; he thundered and then opened firing on the enemy. He escaped from that critical situation but was subsequently arrested at Jamia Masjid Shaheed Ganj, Srinagar in October 1995.
The Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was recently quoted by the All India Radio as saying with reference to the Pak-India talks, that India could not enter into any agreement with Pakistan at the cost of its national unity, integrity and prestige. On the other hand, he asserted that the talks were really aimed at ousting of Pakistan from Azad Kashmir besides retrieving the area gifted by Pakistan to China.
Such are the plans of the Indian Prime – Vajpayee whose government has been suffering from grave instability. Indian rulers have miserably failed in controlling the Kashmir over the years but despite deployment of around 7 lakh troops while at the same time; separation movements have also surfaced in different parts of India. When these separation movements are pushing India towards disintegration, Vajpayee is dreaming of taking back the Azad Kashmir. It is a hard fact that jihadic movements have got firm footing in Kashmir and as such, various ground operations of the Indian occupation forces against the Mujahideen in Kashmir have miserably failed.
Recently, the Indian forces planned another grand operation against the Mujahideen, which was to be launched after snowfall. However, it was delayed due to delay in snowfall. Two fresh Divisions of the Indian Army were thus forced to be confined to the camps and their plans have come to a naught. On the other hand, the Mujahideen have started attacks on the army camps and killed several troops. The occupation army is under constant mental strain because of their increasing attacks.
It seems unlikely that the grand operation has been put off merely due to delay in snowfall. In fact, the Indian troops are left with no courage to face the Mujahideen and this bitter fact has been accepted time and again by Indian generals. Several Indian army officers have committed suicide under the fear of the Mujahideen.
Of the 13000 troops of the Special Force referred to above, 200 officers have already revolted, and refused to fight the Mujahideen while there are reports that 5000 of them are on the verge of rebellion because of the constant heavy odds against which they are required to stay. An ordinary Indian soldier complains that he is being used as a shield against the Mujahideen merely for a paltry sum of Rs. 1500 per month whereas the army officers avoid confrontation with the Mujahideen.
An overall review of the Held Kashmir situation would indicate that the activities of the Mujahideen are on the increase with every passing day and recent reports reveal that the Mujahideen have entered Himachal Pradesh. The Lashkar-e-Taiba Mujahideen alone have killed more than 7500 Indian troops while 500 Taiba Mujahideen have embraced martyrdom so far.
Indian Home Minister L.K. Advani recently conceded that about 5000 of their soldiers have been killed in Kashmir while they are receiving more dead bodies daily.
With this background, the Indian army has now been tasked to locate the hideout of the Mujahideen with the help of satellites as to reach them. Latest reports are that most modern Location Finder Sets have been handed over to the operational groups in the Jammu and Kashmir. With their help, the Indian troops would be able to record the wireless messages of the Mujahideen and determine their direction and location. Time alone would show how far this plan of the enemy succeeds and to what extent the Indian occupation army benefits from it. We however are sure that like their previous designs, the present one would also fail as the Mujahideen too are now equipped with the latest weapons. An Indian newspaper recently reported that the debris of two army remote controlled planes has been found in the Sarn Kot area which gave rise to the apprehension that the Mujahideen are using most sophisticated weapons of offence.
No doubt, the Mujahideen don’t have plenty of arms when compared to the occupation army nor are they any match for the Indian troops in numbers, yet they have Allah’s help on their side because of their Iman which alone is bringing them successes. This continues to be the sole factor behind their continuous victories.