CRPF CoBRA Commandos: After completing months of training in the forests of Jammu and Kashmir, the first batch group of CoBRA commandos, a unit within the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), have been deployed in Kupwara district of the Union Territory. It is pertinent to mention that for the first time since their establishment in 2009 to combat Maoist insurgents, the Commando Battalions for Resolute Action (CoBRA) have been moved out of central and eastern India and sent to Jammu and Kashmir.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, an official said, “Some companies of CoBRA were partly removed from Bihar and Jharkhand because of the decline in cases of Naxal violence there. Six months ago, their training started in the jungles of J&K.” “The training is over and they have been posted in Kupwara but are yet to be used in any operation so far.”
CoBRA commandos were brought to J-K in April
In the Kashmir region, the CRPF is actively engaged in counter-terrorism operations and the maintenance of law and order. CRPF works closely with the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Indian Army to fulfill these responsibilities. Commandos were sent to Jammu and Kashmir in the month of April.
The decision to deploy CoBRA commandos, often referred to as jungle warriors, aligns with the government’s strategy to utilize this specialized force in regions where the government has revoked the Armed Forces Special Power Act, said officials.
‘CoBRA was set up when India’s internal security was threatened’
“CoBRA was set up at a time when India’s internal security was threatened by Naxal violence. Over the years, CoBRA teams have neutralised top Naxals. Their operations have led to a decline in Naxal violence. They are experts when it comes to dealing with militants in jungle and hills terrain. The topography is similar in the northeast and Jammu and Kashmir. They will be put to use in such places in the coming years, said officials.
In October 2009, when several Naxalite attacks occurred, then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had identified Maoists as India’s biggest internal security threat. A few months earlier, in September 2008, the Cabinet Committee on Security had approved the creation of an additional force within the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) with the formation of 10 additional battalions.
About CoBRA Commandos
Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) is a specialised force which has been raised for jungle warfare type operations for dealing with Maoists and therefore also known as ‘jungle warriors’. CoBRA commandos are trained to traverse a maximum distance of 72 km in a jungle and return to their base on the same day once they have completed their mission. They receive training in helicopter-borne insertions in jungle areas. Before their deployment, CoBRA personnel undergo specialized training in jungle warfare and tactics at a dedicated boot camp located in Belagavi, Karnataka.
the personnel for CoBRA are selected from CRPF as CoBRA is an integral part of CRPF. There are 10 CoBRA Units. They undergo rigorous commando and jungle warfare training before being posted in the jungles. They Are deployed in all left-wing extremists affected areas of Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya.
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