The Pakistani Army has issued a red alert to its troops on the LoC after losing around 20 men this year and facing heavy damage to its posts recently, sources in the security establishment said on Thursday.
The Indian Army has carried out at least 10 fire assaults since October along the LoC, destroying some of Pakistan's forward posts and terror launchpads as part of a "proactive strategy" to retaliate, sources said.
With close to 400 terrorists backed by Pakistani forces waiting to infiltrate, the Indian Army has carried out "punitive assaults" and tactical "operations" to ensure terror launchpads do not remain active.
The Indian Army action took place in Sarla, destroying a Pakistani post in Rawalkot, Laleali, and targeting another in Bimber sector.
The other fire assaults were launched from Kalal, Keran Balnoi, Doda and Banwat, inflicting damage to Pakistani forces and terror launchpads.
The recent setbacks have promoted the Commander of Pakistan Army's Rawalpindi-based 10 Corps, Lt Gen Nadeem Raza, to frequently visit forward posts and ask his troops to give a befitting reply.
On December 25, 2017, DNA reported of a cross-LoC raid carried out by the Indian Army, killing four Pakistani soldiers.
According to estimates by the Indian Army this year, Pakistan has already lost 20 men, while last year's casualty was 138.
The Indian Army has lost 10 soldiers this year on the LoC.
The figure is based on chatter from across the border, human intelligence and also photographs of burials, sources said.
Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said at his annual press conference last month that the force has been responding to shelling from Pakistan by targeting its posts that aid terrorists and infiltration. "Pakistan has suffered heavy casualties — 3 to 4 times more than us. If we see a drop in infiltration, we are willing to respect ceasefire," he said.
There was an escalation in violence last year on the LoC and also in the hinterland with Indian forces killing 213 terrorists. In 2015 the number was 150.
According to official estimates, there are 358 terrorists active in Kashmir as of now and close to 300 of them are local Kashmiri youth. In 2017, the number of local youth who joined terror ranks was 127 -- a 10-time increase since 2013 when the tally was just 13.
