Jammu: Fencing work on the line of control (LoC) has almost been completed and right now there is no infiltration from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir, Army chief General N C Vij has said.

"The fencing work on LoC has almost been completed and work in some of the areas is nearing completion," Vij said last evening (Apr 30, 2004).

He said right now that there was no infiltration from across the border and three infiltration bids in the past few months had been effectively thwarted by the vigilant troops.

However, he said that troops would have to wait and watch for next two months as and when snow melts and passes open to judge the exact trend of infiltration. "It is only after two months we can exactly say whether infiltration has declined, as of now, because of fencing and snowfall level of infiltration is low," he said.

About the strength of foreign mercenaries, Vij said it has gone down by 50 per cent, as many of them have been eliminated by the Army in the recent times. The local militants are also lying low, he said.

He said that the al-Qaeda could be supporting and encouraging the militant outfits operating in Jammu and Kashmir though it is not directly involved in militancy in the State.

"There could be nexus between al-Qaeda and militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir, but the outfit is not directly involved," he said.

About the poll violence, he said that it was less than what it was in the preceding years during Parliamentary elections in the State. He, however, described these incidents as unfortunate.