SOURCE: AFI
The recent encounter between the Indian Army and terrorists in Kashmir has sparked a significant outburst on social media, especially within the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) region. The focal point of this eruption is the death of the notorious terrorist Rahan Ali. However, the Indian media’s coverage of the event left out a crucial detail that social media users in POK were quick to highlight: Rahan Ali might have been an active member of the Pakistani military, specifically the Special Services Group (SSG) commando unit.
Photographs circulating on social media in POK purportedly show Rahan Ali in an SSG uniform, suggesting his active or previous service with the elite commando unit of the Pakistani military. This revelation has stirred significant controversy and has led to widespread speculation about the Pakistani military’s involvement in insurgent activities within the Indian side of Kashmir. According to some social media handles in POK, Ali might have been a retired SSG commando who had been re-engaged to execute targeted operations against Indian soldiers and Hindu civilians.
This is not the first instance of Pakistani military personnel being involved in Kashmir’s ongoing conflict. However, the death of Rahan Ali highlights a potentially escalating trend. The shift towards deploying Pakistani military officials across the Line of Control (LoC) suggests a strategic change, possibly due to dwindling recruitment from within the local Kashmiri population.
The landscape of terrorism in Kashmir has undergone significant transformations over the past few decades. During the 1990s, the insurgency was predominantly fueled by local recruits backed by Pakistan. However, this trend has seen a considerable shift in recent years, particularly after the revocation of Article 370 in 2019. The number of local recruits has sharply declined, impacting groups like The Resistance Front (TRF), whose numbers have dwindled from four to five operatives to less than two in recent times.
The reduction in local recruitment has led to the emergence of “hybrid terrorists” and overground workers, who play auxiliary roles rather than direct combatants. Despite the overall decrease in insurgency within the Kashmir valley, Pakistan-backed terrorist outfits persist in their activities, albeit with altered strategies and manpower.
The current situation indicates a possible state of desperation within the Pakistani military. Facing a scarcity of local recruits, they appear to be compensating by deploying their own soldiers to sustain their operations in Kashmir. This move can be seen as a testament to the challenges the Pakistani military faces in maintaining its influence in the region.
The death of Rahan Ali has not only intensified the discourse on social media but also highlighted the evolving tactics of Pakistan-backed terrorist operations in Kashmir. With the decline in local insurgent recruitment, the Pakistani military’s direct involvement signals a critical shift in the ongoing conflict. As the dynamics in the valley continue to change, the Indian security forces remain vigilant against both foreign and local threats, striving to maintain peace and stability in the region.