Militants in Kashmir using warfare devices left by US in Afghanistan

New Delhi, April 17

As suspected by security experts, the gadgets used by the US-led allied forces during the warfare in Afghanistan have found their way to terror groups in J&K, officials said.

Officials in the J&K security grid said over a dozen signatures of Iridium satellite phones used during the Afghan war by the US-led forces and Wi-Fi-enabled thermal imaging devices had been detected in the Kashmir valley. Terrorists have been using these devices to escape security cordons, especially during night.

The officials said signatures of Iridium satellite phones had been detected since February, first in north Kashmir and now in parts of south Kashmir.

The security officials suspect these satellite phones are possibly those abandoned by the allied forces while leaving Afghanistan or might have been seized by the Taliban or terrorists fighting there.

Sources in the security set-up said that at least for now the satellite phones were not a big challenge as these were being specially monitored, and those using them would soon be neutralised.

Bodies like the National Technical Research Organisation and the Defence Intelligence Agency have been tasked with providing real-time information about the presence of these satellite phones in Kashmir, the officials said. The signatures of the thermal imaging devices, which can be connected to Wi-Fi, have also been found from some encounter sites. Since these devices are not being used by the Pakistan army, the finger of suspicion points to the Afghanistan link.

Use of Iridium satellite phones detected

• Over a dozen signatures of Iridium satellite phones, used during the Afghan war by the US, have been detected in Kashmir valley
• Terrorists have also been using thermal imaging devices at encounter sites
• Since these devices are not used by Pak army, the finger of suspicion points to Afghan link