The year 2016 has not only seen the longest ever unrest in Kashmir Valley after the killing of Hizbul Commander Burhan Wani on July 8, but a spike in militancy also.

Kashmir witnessed nearly doubling of the number of soldiers getting killed in 2016 largely due to the Line of Control (LoC) tensions between India and Pakistan.

With the killing of 3 soldiers in the attack by the militants on Saturday in Pampore, the number of soldiers killed in Kashmir Valley this year has reached 63. A large number of them were killed on the LoC, mostly after the tensions surged in the wake of attack on Army base in Uri.

In the whole state of Jammu and Kashmir, the number of soldiers killed has already reached 90 for this year.

By December 16, reports said that as many as 23 soldiers were killed at various places on the LoC in Kashmir. Army's fatalities at the LoC were as low as 5 in 2014 and 4 in 2015.

However, the number of soldier killings remained almost static over the last three years. It was 27 in 2014, 29 killings in 2015 and so far 40 in 2016. These included the 3 soldiers who were killed in an ambush on Saturday in Pampore.

Also read: Kashmir: 3 jawans martyred in Pampore after militants attack Army convoy along Srinagar-Jammu highway

The major attacks that took a heavy toll included the attack on Uri base and, very recently, in Nagrota.

The data available about the overall security situation suggests that the numbers have increased throughout - from infiltration to the militant casualties. Overall losses to the security grid - involving the paramilitary and police, were put at 74 which is higher if compared to 2015 when only 41 members of the grid were killed.

Even the number of slain militants has gone up. Against 97 militants being killed in 2015, the ongoing 2016 has already witnessed 148 militant killings. These included some of the new recruits who joined militancy during the unrest.

Recent media reports suggested that against 35 militants who had infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir in 2015, this year witnessed nearly 116 infiltrations where militants managed to infiltrate in Kashmir.

With local recruits in Hizbul Mujahedeen and Lashker-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed has also strengthened its network in Kashmir Valley.

The figures clearly indicate that winters in the Valley could be worse for terror-related incidents as terrorists move to hinterland and civilian areas rather than staying in forests in summer.

Also read: Exclusive: Meet the new face of Lashkar-e-Taiba in Kashmir