Amid the increased skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani forces, an alert has been issued for terror groups asking them to shut down terror camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), fearing action by the Indian Army.

Based on intelligence picking up chatter and technical surveillance, agencies have learnt of a meeting held on March 16 in Nikial, Pakistani occupied Kashmir, opposite Rajouri that was attended by ISI representatives from Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Ashfaq Barwal.

Instructions were sent out to shut down terrorist camps in the area amid Indian Army targeting Pakistani posts and terror camps in retaliation to ceasefire violations by Pakistan.

Camps and offices of terrorists have also been closed in Kotli and Nikial area in the region opposite Sunderbani and Rajouri, respectively.

The four terror camps that have been shut down have been identified to be controlled by Ashfaq Baral of the Lashkar.

Two other Jaish-e-Mohammed camps are in Pala and Bagh area, while another one in Kotli was being run by Hizbul Mujahideen.

According to details provided by India to Pakistan, there were 11 such camps operating in Pok that includes five each in Muzzafarabad and Kotli clusters and one in Barnala.

Other than the camp in Balakot that was targeted by the Indian Air Force in an aerial strike, there are five other such centres in hinterland Pakistan.

While three are in Mansera, two exist in Punjab. Reports indicate that specialised training is being imparted in these centres. These include sniping, water combat, putting together Improvised Explosive Devices and drones.

Ceasefire violations by Pakistan have increased since the Pulwama terror attack on February 14 all along the Line of Control (LoC).

There have been 634 ceasefire violations in 2019 while last year there were 1,629 ceasefire violations.

Anti-terror operations since the Pulwama attack, in which 40 CRPF troops were killed, have also intensified. 29 of the 57 terrorists killed this year are after February 14.

Twelve days after the devastating Pulwama terror attack, the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted "non-military, pre-emptive" airstrikes in Pakistan's Balakot to destroy one of the biggest Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp.