Terrorists have seemingly changed their strategy. In the last few years, there are telltale signs that the landscape of warfare is shifting from the cities and towns to forests and mountains of Jammu and Kashmir where terrorists have an advantage of occupying strategic locations and laying death traps for security forces. In the past, terrorists would often operate in cities and towns, where they would carry out attacks on security forces as well as civilians. However, in recent years, the terrorists have increasingly shifted their operations to the jungles and mountains which provide them with a number of advantages. There are a number of reasons for this shift. First, the government has adopted a more aggressive counter-insurgency strategy in recent years. This has pushed terrorists again into the mountains, leading to an increase in military operations. Second, the terrorists have fine-tuned their tactics and are now using forests and mountains to their advantage. The jungles provide the terrorists with cover and concealment, making it difficult for the security forces to track them down. Due to knowledge of terrain, terrorists find it easy to operate in the jungles and mountains rather than getting caught like sitting ducks in residential houses and shopping complexes. The shift has had a number of consequences. First, it has made it more difficult for the security forces to operate, resulting in several casualties, including of top officers, in recent years. Second, it has led to an increase in violence which relays a wrong message about the ground situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Third, it also leads to environmental problems, such as deforestation and pollution. In a complex operation such as ‘Operation Garol’ which is currently underway in Kokernag, security forces have to clear the jungles to make it easier and safe for operations. To tackle this shift, the government needs to adopt a more nuanced and sophisticated approach involving a combination of military operations, development initiatives and public outreach programs. The government should reach out to the tribals with some major scheme and build a constituency among these mountain people who have acted as the first line of defence in Jammu and Kashmir. The recent decision to cover the Paharis in J&K under ST status has angered Gujjars and Bakerwals of Jammu and Kashmir. The politics of appeasement has made them unhappy but J&K needs the brave men and women on the right side if we have to strengthen the counter-insurgency grid and choke the source of support for the terrorists.