 "Pak terrorists continue using US weapons in J&K. How is Army responding?")
The Indian Army is documenting weapons of American origin that may have reached Kashmir through Afghanistan, Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the Army's Srinagar-based strategic Chinar Corps, reportedly said in Srinagar on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters, Lt Gen Ghai said that efforts are being undertaken to engage with the United States (US) to trace the origins of these weapons, news agency PTI reported.
He was responding to a query concerning the recovery of US-origin weapons, believed to have come from Afghanistan, in the Kashmir valley.
What is India doing about US-made weapons coming to Kashmir?
Lt Gen Ghai reportedly said that the process of documenting these weapons is ongoing, and takes place immediately after they are recovered. Commenting on the origin of these weapons, Lt Gen Ghai said that it was clear to those who understand the situation.
However, he cautioned that he would not wish to comment further as the matter falls under the ambit of India's intelligence agencies. He added that these agencies will be able to provide more information regarding where these weapons originate and how they are ending up in the hands of those hostile to India.
Lt Gen Ghai explained that the documentation and reporting of these weapons to the relevant authorities is ongoing, stating, "That is definitely continuing, and I can confirm its authenticity."
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Lt Gen Ghai also said that Indian authorities are making efforts to engage with Washington to trace the origin of these weapons.
Which US-origin weapons have turned up in Kashmir?
Indian security forces have reportedly recovered M4 carbine assault rifles from terrorists neutralised in encounters in Jammu and Kashmir.
These weapons, left behind by the US Army after their 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, are believed to have reached terrorists via their Pakistani handlers.
The M4 carbine, developed in the 1980s, has seen extensive use by NATO forces and other military units, including Pakistan's special forces.
These rifles have also been used in numerous global conflicts, including the Syrian civil war, Iraqi civil war, Yemeni civil war, Colombian conflict, Kosovo war, and the post-9/11 Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
The M4 carbine's enhanced manoeuvrability makes it a preferred choice for close-quarters battle among military forces worldwide.
As early as February 2022, reports had started emerging of such US-origin equipment finding their way into the hands of terrorists in Kashmir.
Back then, a senior Army officer, overseeing operations along the Line of Control (LoC), had told ThePrint that advanced weapons and night-vision devices left behind by the US in Afghanistan had made their way into the hands of terrorists in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), who were attempting to infiltrate India.
In the months preceding this report, Pakistani terrorists armed with American equipment had already been discovered following encounters along the LoC.
The senior Army officer had said that from the weapons and equipment recovered from about half a dozen foiled infiltration attempts made in the past year, the Army had observed "significant spill-over of high-tech weaponry, night-vision devices, and other gear left behind by the Americans in Afghanistan".
The officer had also confirmed that some of these equipment were not part of the Pakistan Army's standard arsenal, making it relatively straightforward to trace their origin.
In July this year, another ThePrint report had revealed that approximately 40 terrorists, primarily from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), had successfully infiltrated the Jammu region over the past year.
Believed to have gained combat experience fighting alongside the Taliban against the US, these militants were reportedly armed with American M4 rifles, night-vision sights, telescopic lenses, and encrypted radio communication devices.
The withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, referring to the removal of the last remaining American forces following the Afghanistan War (2001–14), was completed on August 30, 2021. The Taliban had toppled the then Afghan government earlier that month.
Media reports from that time had said that when US forces withdrew from Afghanistan, they left behind over 600,000 modern small arms and several hundred thousand pieces of night-vision equipment.