Jammu: In their intensified bid to target militants, particularly foreign mercenaries, security forces have launched "surgical post-winter operation" in the hilly terrains of Poonch-Rajouri-Doda area of Jammu and Kashmir, according to Defence sources.

The operation has been launched in view of the increase in militant movement, particularly of foreign mercenaries, with the melting of snow in mountains of Rajouri-Poonch-Doda belt in South of Pir Panchal ranges, the sources said on April 29.

The decision was taken at a high level meeting of Commanders of Rashtriya Rifles, headed by Deputy Army Chief J B S Yadava following which 64 militants, mostly of Pakistani origin, have been killed in the area, the sources said.

During the operation, security forces have been assigned to target foreign militants and their commanders in the mountain-locked woodland, which has been a safe haven for militants for years, they said.

A plan has been devised to singularly target the top brass of militants like area commanders, platoon commanders, district commanders and divisional commanders of Lashkar-e- Toiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), al-badr, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), Tehreek-e-Jehadi- Islami (TeJI) and Hizbul-Mujahideen Pir Panjal regiment (HMPPR), the sources said.

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Some specialised troops have been given the task of information gathering, networking, planning and striking these outfits, they said adding some major operations had already been carried out as part of the surgical operation causing major casualties to militants.

PTI