From pistols to advanced weapons with latest accessories, terrorists in J&K are now using deadlier weapons

Last updated:Oct 29, 2024 11:21 IST

The security network suspects that these weapons, including ballistic calculators, imaging rangefinders, night vision goggles and possibly weapon-mounted cameras, were obtained from Afghanistan.

A screenshot of CCTV footage shows an alleged terrorist during an attack on Sunday that left seven people, including a doctor, dead in J&K’s Ganderbal. (PTI)

Terrorists targeting Kashmir in a new wave of violence are now equipped with high-tech gadgets and attachments, making their weapons more lethal, security forces and central agencies have discovered.

According to sources, the terrorists involved in recent attacks on the military and civilians have weapon accessories including ballistic calculators, imaging rangefinders, night vision goggles and possibly weapon-mounted cameras.

A senior official involved in operations in J&K said that in recent firing incidents, terrorists have managed to target their targets with better accuracy even from a considerable distance. “M4 weapons have been found to be equipped with thermal scopes with high-resolution video, WiFi capabilities, GPS, image stabilization and rangefinders. In addition, based on images and photographs available to security forces and intelligence agencies, these weapons are likely to be equipped with ballistic calculators and may include cameras mounted on weapons to record shooting incidents,” the official told News18.

These attachments help terrorists gather details about the area and hit targets effectively, even in low light. Sources indicate that terrorists have also started using M4 rifles with multiple attachments. CCTV footage of an attack near the under-construction Z-Morh tunnel on the Srinagar-Sonamarg highway showed terrorists using M4 rifles. Seven men – six from outside Kashmir and a local doctor – were killed in the Z Morh tunnel attack.

In July, it was reported that terrorists were using M4 rifles that could fire effectively at a distance of 500-600 meters, with a significantly longer maximum range.

“Until last year, terrorists mainly used pistols, while senior commanders preferred AK series rifles. However, in June, security forces found Steyr AUG rifles used by Austrian forces during an operation. This weapon is more reliable and accurate than others. The increased use of M4 rifles with heavy attachments indicates that terrorist organizations have acquired lethal weapons to use against India,” a senior CRPF official told News18.

The security network suspects that these weapons come from Afghanistan and have not yet been distributed to the commanders of terrorist units on the ground.

On Tuesday, all three terrorists involved in firing on an army convoy that passed through a village near the Line of Control (LoC) in Akhnoor sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday were killed during anti-terror operations.

One of the three terrorists who fired at an army ambulance that was part of a convoy moving near the LoC was killed in the evening in an operation launched by the special forces and NSG commandos.

The Army had deployed its four BMP-II infantry fighting vehicles for surveillance and strengthening of the cordon around the attack site, while helicopters and drones were also deployed to locate the absconding terrorists.

Location:

Jammu and Kashmir, India