Why Uri is vulnerable to terrorist attacks

SRINAGAR: The Uri military base attacked by militants on Sunday morning is one of the most important garrisons in Kashmir and guards the Line of Control (LoC), which

SRINAGAR: The Uri military base attacked by militants on Sunday morning is one of the most important garrisons in Kashmir and guards the Line of Control (LoC), which is India’s de facto border with Pakistan.

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The base is strategically important for two reasons: It serves to thwart aggression from Pakistan and guard against infiltration attempts by militants since armed insurgency erupted in Kashmir in 1989.

The base — the brigade headquarters that houses 12,000-13,000 soldiers — is close to the border and it is from here that men and materials are sent to the LoC.

However, the base is also vulnerable as it can be approached from the LoC on three sides, one of them as close as six kilometres.

Although there are armed sentries around-the-clock, a large number of the soldiers at the base are in transit, making them relatively relaxed then when on duty.

What caused the large number of casualties and injuries in Sunday’s attack was the fact the base had a large number troops turning over after their tour of duty, sources said. They were stationed in tents and temporary shelters which caught fire. Several of the dead and injured received burn injuries. The base is also located in the plains and is under constant observation from Pakistani army posts higher in the mountains.

A project of the National Hydro Power Corporation also been constructed in the area, mostly underground to prevent damage in case a war breaks out.

Uri – a garrison town with little anti-India sentiment – has been targeted by militants before. A raid in December 2014, also near Uri, had killed eight soldiers and three policemen.

An army official said that the attack was not on the 12 Brigade headquarters but on a rear administrative base close to the brigade.

Rear administrative base is a place where the army units deployed on the LoC “leave their non-operational and other administrative stores behind”.

The official said the Army deploys some personnel on guard to look after the stores. In effect, it means that minimum troops are kept in the rear.

Former GOC 15 Corps in Kashmir, Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain tweeted “such places very vulnerable (sic).”

Police sources said the infiltration through Uri sector was less than through the Kupwara belt, but Uri was the easiest way to enter Kashmir.

However, infiltration in the area came down after the ceasefire of 2003 allowed India to erect a barbed wire fence along the entire LoC.