India worries over Pakistani militants

NEW DELHI, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Indian security forces are said to be on high alert on fears Pakistani-based terrorist groups were attempting to push across the border.

Officials said Pakistani-based groups like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed were trying to "create mayhem" in the country by crossing the border to expand their insurgency campaign, The Economic Times of India reports.

Fighting between Pakistani troops and insurgents killed as many as 15 Taliban in weekend raids following more than a week of intensive fighting along the border with Afghanistan, Pakistan's Daily Times newspaper indicated.

The campaign follows a pledge by the Pakistani Taliban to avenge the death of rebel leader Baitullah Mehsud, who was killed in an August airstrike.

Local officials in India said the latest campaign by the Pakistani Taliban could create problems for the rest of the region as the recent spate of high-profile attacks in Pakistan suggest the militant group has a broad reach.

Security forces sought to allay the concerns of the general public, however, by describing the armed forces as ready to tackle any challenge.

LeT and its affiliates attacked the Indian Parliament on Dec. 13, 2001, killing dozens in the raid. Rebels believed to be with the Pakistani-based LeT seized several high-profile buildings in Mumbai in November 2008, killing at least 188 people.