We want local militants to return to mainstream: Indian Army

Ground Report | New Delhi: We want local militants The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Army's Udhampur-based Northern Command, Yogesh Kumar Joshi, while interacting with the newly recruited terrorists on Monday said that the young terrorists who are ready to admit mistakes and join the mainstream will be welcomed with open arms.

Addressing a function at Manasbal Lake Park in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir, the GOC-in-C said that the Army is today celebrating the 23rd anniversary of the homecoming of 23 boys who were forced to take up arms, But the army saved him. Gurez Sector and later handed over to their families. An army officer said, "Today, I am happy that these 23 people are leading a happy life back home with their families."

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We want local militants

The GOC-in-C said that his message to the newly recruited extremists is that if they are ready to admit their mistake and join the mainstream, they will be welcomed with open arms. "We will facilitate their surrender even in the midst of fierce counter-insurgency operations," the army official said. “We are here to save lives and not to take lives. The administration along with the army would not only facilitate surrender but would also ensure that the boys bearing arms were well integrated within the society.

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The army commander said that over the past few months, he has been appealing to the families of young and newly recruited militants to ask their loved ones to leave the "cycle of gun culture and violence". "It is really heartbreaking. We make all efforts to ensure and achieve surrender. We want the youth to return to the mainstream and lead a peaceful life."

The GOC-in-C stated that the Army attaches great importance to protecting human rights while carrying out counter-terrorist operations besides ensuring minimum collateral damage.

With inputs from News Agency KNO

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