Srinagar, September 20: Security forces have adopted a new strategy in the Pir Panjal mountain range to prevent terrorists from using dense forests and high-altitude routes to move between the Jammu and Kashmir regions.
According to officials cited in a report by The Indian Express, the key element of the new approach is the deployment of Temporary Operational Bases, or TOBs, across difficult mountain terrain. These bases allow joint teams of the Army, J&K Police and paramilitary forces to maintain a sustained presence in areas where establishing permanent camps is difficult.
Officials said personnel can remain deployed in the mountains for periods ranging from more than ten days to several months, depending on intelligence inputs and the prevailing security situation. Where natural shelters such as Gujjar dhoks or caves are available, they may be used as temporary bases.
The Pir Panjal range has historically provided difficult terrain for security operations. Officials said terrorists had used forest routes to move between Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu and the Kashmir Valley, shifting across the mountain range when security pressure increased on one side.
The security deployment has also been strengthened with specialised J&K Police units known as ‘Snow Leopards’ and ‘Markhor’. The units have received specialised training for high-altitude and dense-forest operations.
Security forces are also using drones for surveillance, along with night-vision equipment and specialised weapons to improve their ability to monitor and patrol the difficult terrain.
Officials said the number of temporary bases changes according to intelligence assessments and operational requirements, with around 40 to 50 such bases potentially active at a given time.
The strategy follows years of security challenges in the Pir Panjal region, including the emergence of new terrorist hideouts and changing support networks.
Officials cited by the report said sustained deployment through TOBs has helped security forces maintain pressure across transit routes and has contributed to preventing attacks in the region.
