No successful infiltration across LoC in 2026 as J&K sees sharp decline in terror violence

Terror related violence in Jammu & Kashmir has fallen to its lowest level in decades suggesting a strong hint of return to normalcy, sources in the Army said.According to Army sources and data available on the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), terror-related fatalities in the Union Territory are at an all-time low since the portal began recording data in 2000.The decline is part of a broader trend over the years, with the drop in violence particularly pronounced in 2026.As many as 23 terrorists have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir so far this year, according to SATP data available till October 31. Fatalities among security personnel have, for the first time since 2000, fallen to single digits, with just two deaths reported during the period. Of the 23 terrorists killed, the vast majority were of Pakistani origin, an Army source said.The years 2025 and 2026, till October 31, are the only two years since 2000 in which total terror-related fatalities across all categories have remained in double digits. While 2025 recorded 92 fatalities, including those killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, the figure for the first ten months of 2026 stands at 28.The highest number of fatalities in Jammu and Kashmir since 2000 was recorded in 2001, when 4,011 people were killed, including 1,024 civilians, 628 security personnel and 2,345 terrorists. Another 14 fatalities were classified as unspecified, according to SATP.The portal also records just two civilian deaths in terror-related violence this year. Fatalities among security personnel had remained in double digits every year since 2000, while civilian fatalities had also remained in double digits over the same period.Traditionally, most terror-related violence in Jammu and Kashmir takes place during the warmer months, with incidents declining in winter. According to sources in the security establishment, around 120–140 terrorists are currently believed to be present in the Union Territory.An Army source said there has not been a single successful infiltration attempt along the Line of Control (LoC) so far this year. Infiltration attempts generally decline during winter as many mountain passes and the higher reaches of the Pir Panjal range, which flanks the Kashmir Valley from the southwest, become snowbound.Another significant development is the reported absence of local recruitment into terrorist ranks in Jammu and Kashmir this year, continuing a declining trend.According to available information, 146 locals joined terrorist groups in 2021. The number fell to 121 in 2022, 19 in 2023 and four in 2024. Just one local joined terrorist ranks in 2025, while no fresh recruitment has been reported so far in 2026, according to security sources.The law-and-order situation in the Union territory has also improved, with no bandh calls or incidents of stone-pelting reported so far this year, according to security sources. No such incidents were reported in 2025 either, they said.In comparison, Manipur has recorded 100 fatalities in violence-related incidents so far this year, including 73 civilians, three security personnel and 24 insurgents, according to SATP data.