Jammu, Mar 22: Nearly 350 Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel, trained in Andhra Pradesh’s dense forests alongside elite Army units, have been deployed across J&K’s snow-bound mountains, rugged terrain, and forests to hunt terrorists and dismantle their networks.
To prevent infiltration along the International Border (IB) as summer approaches, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has rushed seven additional BSF battalions to Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts. Pakistan’s desperation to push militants has heightened concerns, with trained terrorists reportedly waiting at launch pads.
SOG training kicked off 10 months ago post the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. Now continuous, it produces specialized units: one for high-altitude warfare in snowy ridges, another for forest and mountain dominance—tailored to counter Pakistan-trained threats.
J&K Police, Army, and paramilitary forces are intensifying ops. Last month, troops eliminated four Jeish-e-Mohammed terrorists, including commander Saifullah, in Kishtwar’s upper reaches. Reports suggest foreign militants lurk in Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch forests.
The BSF influx will fortify Border Police and Village Defence Guards (VDGs), creating a tight grid. This follows Home Minister Amit Shah’s February security review in Jammu, where the deployment was greenlit.
SOG, once pivotal against militancy, is undergoing a “decisive upgrade” with terrain-specific elite squads versed in jungle warfare and endurance.
