JAMMU: Northern Army Commander (NAC) Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi indicated Friday the presence of retired Pakistani soldiers among terrorists in J-K, flashing the alert days after the Rajouri encounter in which five army personnel and a top Lashkar-e-Taiba died along with another operative.“When we tried to seek identification of foreign terrorists, we came to know that some of them are retired army personnel (of Pakistan),” Lt Gen Dwivedi replied when asked about the possible presence of Pakistan special forces’ personnel among terrorists.He added that there could now be around two dozen terrorists in Jammu region, including the Rajouri-Poonch belt.The latest encounter in the Bajimaal area of Rajouri on November 22-23 underscored the foreign terror threat again.

Among the two terrorists killed during the shootout was Quari, a top Pakistan-based Lashkar commander and bomb expert trained in Afghanistan.

The other was a sniper.“Pakistan is making attempts to push foreign terrorists into this region due to lack of support from the local population, especially youths.

Our efforts are on to neutralise the foreign terrorists,” Lt Gen Dwivedi said.

He agreed that the neighbour intended to push in more terrorists in the run-up to next year’s Lok Sabha polls.Dwelling further on the Bajimaal gunfight, Lt Gen Dwivedi asserted that the two terrorists’ killings had dealt a severe blow to the “ecosystem that Pakistan has created to disturb the region”.Rajouri Encounter: 'Give a befitting reply to Pakistan' Father of slain soldier Havildar Abdul Majid“It was very important to neutralise them as they were responsible for 10 civilian killings in Rajouri (last year) besides masterminding attacks on security forces at Kandi in which five army personnel lost their lives (in April 2023).

They were highly trained foreign terrorists and our brave soldiers eliminated them without paying attention to their own safety,” Lt Gen Dwivedi said.

He expressed confidence that with intensified operations in the Jammu region, the forces will “be sure to control the situation” within a year.Paying his respects to the five soldiers, including two officers, who perished in the Bajimaal encounter, Lt Gen Dwivedi hailed their supreme sacrifice and valour.

He recalled a recent interaction with Sanjay Bisht of 9 Para, one of the martyrs.“I had pinned him a commendation card myself on November 18 and asked what he wanted to do in the future.

His reply was that he will do something big within seven days.

He sacrificed his life for the nation,” Lt Gen Dwivedi said.The commander also referred to a statement by the father by Captain MV Pranjal lauding his son’s bravery, and said it will boost troops’ morale.WatchRajouri Encounter: Army pays tribute to 5 martyred soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir