TEHRAN - The militant groups in Kashmir have stepped up the recruitment of local youths following the end of Ramazan ceasefire, according to a report published by Indian Express. As many as 82 local youths have joined the militant groups this year till June-end, including 27 in June itself.

“The increase in the number of local youths picking the gun last month came after June 16, which was Eid, when the ceasefire ended and the security forces decided to undertake operations,” a Srinagar-based security official is quoted saying in the report.

The data has been compiled by Jammu and Kashmir’s Multi-Agency Centre (MAC), which shows that April witnessed the highest number of youth joining militant ranks (28) and May was the lowest (14).

According to the data, among the 82 youths, 38 joined the Hizbul Mujahideen, 18 joined the Lashkar-e-Taiba and 19 joined the Jaish-e-Mohammad. In 2018, 12 youths from Anantnag, 21 from Shopian, 16 from Kulgam, 2 from Ganderbal, 1 Budgam, 2 from Srinagar, 20 from Pulwama, 3 from Kupwara, 1 from Bandipora and 4 from Baramulla joined militant organizations.

In 2017, 128 local youths were reported to have joined militancy, up from 84 in 2016, 83 in 2015 and 63 in 2014. Going by the increasing recruitment, security establishment fears that 2018 could be the worst year ever in terms of local recruitment of militants in the valley, the report states.