Pakistan Is Pushing Foreign Terrorists Into Kashmir To Make Up For Low Local Recruitment — What The Numbers Say

Over the last several years, the militant landscape in Jammu and Kashmir has undergone a profound transformation. What was once dominated by local recruits inspired by social media icons like Burhan Wani during the 2015-2016 phase has now decisively shifted towards the infiltration of foreign fighters—mostly Pakistanis—trained and backed by the Pakistan Army.

A re-look at the data reported by Kashmir News Observer (KNO) last year reveals that 2024 marked a turning point. For the first time in decades, the number of foreign militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir significantly outnumbered local terrorists.

Of the 68 terrorists killed in counter-insurgency operations last year, 42 were foreign nationals—mainly from Pakistan. The majority of them were gunned down during infiltration attempts along the Line of Control (LoC) or in interior operations across Kashmir.

Baramulla district in North Kashmir saw the highest number of foreign terrorist casualties, with 14 killed in nine separate encounters. In the Jammu region, of the roughly 40 terrorists active at various times, around 35-36 were confirmed to be foreigners.

This growing reliance on foreign militants is directly tied to the collapse of local recruitment. In 2021, as many as 125 local youths joined terrorist outfits. The number dropped to 100 in 2022, plummeted to 22 in 2023, and hit a new low in 2024—only 7 local recruits across the entire Union Territory.

Officials now say the number of active local terrorists in Kashmir is down to single digits, signaling an unprecedented decline in indigenous insurgent strength.

The Pakistan Army has responded to this vacuum by pushing more of its own assets into Kashmir. These include operatives from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and their offshoots—The Resistance Front (TRF), People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), and Kashmir Tigers. This strategic shift ensures the jihad does not die out, even if the local population is no longer willing to participate in large numbers.

Despite the drop in local recruitment, violence remains a serious concern. In 2024, 60 terrorism-related incidents were reported in J&K, resulting in the deaths of 30 civilians and 28 security personnel. Though this is a decline from previous years—251 incidents were reported in 2022—the sustained presence of foreign fighters continues to pose a high security threat.

Several high-profile commanders were eliminated in 2024, including Basit Ahmad Dar (Kulgam), Usman Lashkari (Srinagar), Arbaz Mir (Anantnag), and Farooq Ahmad Bhat, alias Nali (Kulgam). Their affiliations spanned the key Pakistan-backed groups that have kept the insurgency alive even as local support has waned.

The data paints a clear picture: the indigenous insurgency in Kashmir is in terminal decline. But far from giving up, Pakistan has recalibrated its approach—replacing Kashmiri youth with foreign jihadists.