In the remote Himalayas, tens of thousands of Indian soldiers maintain a tight vigil along the highly militarized Line of Control that divides Kashmir region between India and Pakistan. The terrain is tough and the weather is harsh as the soldiers go through counterinsurgency drills and tactical exercises following months of deadly rebel attacks in the disputed region.
Authorities say violence in the region has reduced significantly since 2019, when the Indian government stripped Kashmir of semiautonomy and brought it under direct federal control.
But in recent months, there has been a sharp rise in militant attacks on government forces, particularly in parts of Hindu-dominated southern Jammu area that experienced relative peace during the three decades of armed rebellion against New Delhi’s rule. The string of attacks killed 14 soldiers last month, according to officials, stoking fears of militancy returning to the area.
The civilian death toll in Jammu has already reached 12 in…
