Saturday, May 9, 2020

Fighting Militancy and effect of armoured cars, by Dr k Prabhakar rao

TACKLING INSURGENCY  AND EFFECT OF AROURED CARS

  prof Dr colonel k Prabhakar Rao

I think all the  light armoured  wheeled vehicles produced by various Indian auto builders and supplied to army can be called, mere armoured cars for tackling terrorists in j and k . Athough  these vehicleslook imposing and versatile   will be vulnerable to shoulder  fired rocket launchers. These, weapons are used widely in all actions by terrorists mostly and  armour of these vehicles can be penetrated. As if a cake is pierced by a plastic knife. as on today. even Maoists operating in India. Have reportedly acquired rocket launchers. the engagements in j and k between army and paean military forces and militants are more or less guerillla attacks and  ambushes . the militants have not used any vehicle  for hit and run attacks except few incidents of urban militants motor cycle borne firing on security forces.The last attack on police team returning to duty  in Jammu and  kashmir was at pulwama in which they used an  explosive loaded maruthi built civilian van on main road to bang into the police veh and caused explosion in which 40 police men died. However the vehs under discussion here for use by Indian troops  will be useful to negotiate the terrain to reach near to the location where militants are hiding. the existing old army available vehs were doing such jobs equaly well. but these  modern vehs also can not be taken right onto target although they are claiming high cross country mobility and high road speeds with flat tyres. . Most of the militant attacks have taken place in thiclkly wooded areas or in built up areas where militants take and hold hostages. in such areas the soldiers have to dismount and engage the targets. The vehs at best can give covering fire from machine guns. Thus  sucess of the operation  can not be fully dependent upon these vehs. at best they will help in reaching the near by place of the site.  Well entrenched militants will always pose stiff resistance as they will be holding the place of their choice.
The present usual method is cordon off the area and surround the target. Vehs hardly can play role in dislodging the militants.

Nothing spectacular results can be expected from these vehs in fighting insurgency in  the present scenario. The militancy in India  has not reached Syrian type  and Islamic State terrorist operations  that is almost a mobile warfare going on in middle east. Our problem is purely operations in congested built up areas and thick jungle mountaInous hideouts where the pak inspired terrorists  sneak across the Loc and engage Indian forces including para military and constabulary of state Police. the local people no doubt shelter them due to fear or sympathy.

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