Northern Army Commander Lt General Ranbir Singh on Thursday described 2018 as a most remarkable year for the armed forces on the security front as they have been able to kill the highest number of militants during the period as compared to past one decade. "According to the records available for the past 10 years, Army along with other armed forces have killed highest number of militants and captured many of them alive, while a number of them surrendered under pressure," he said, while talking to media persons after inaugurating a bridge in border Poonch town. The army along with other armed forces killed over 250 militants and arrested 54 others alive, while four surrendered, he said, adding this shows the capability of security forces that how effective their operations have been in foiling their plans to disturb law and order situation in the state. About incidents of ceasefire violation and plantation of IEDs along the Line of Control (LoC), the Northern Army Commander said that Pakistan has been resorting to unprovoked firing for the past many years as a cover fire to facilitate infiltration of militants into the state. However, Indian Army has been giving a befitting reply to Pakistani troops whenever there had been instances of any ceasefire violation or sniping, he added. "As per wireless and other intercepts, Pakistani army and militants suffered huge losses in our retaliatory actions," he said, adding that Indian Army was capable of meeting any situation. Meanwhile, a person was injured in ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops at Pukharni in Rajouri district’s Nowshera sector on Thursday. They also resorted to unprovoked firing and mortar shelling along the LoC in Karmara area of Poonch.
