The recent surge in militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir demonstrate that the militant leadership feels sidelined and wants to take centrestage in any settlement of the Kashmir issue, political observers in the state say.

They said the sudden attacks carried out by militants demonstrated that the recent lull in violence was 'deliberate'.

In recent attacks, an IED blast targeted at an Army convoy at Rajbagh on Friday injured 19 jawans and an ambush on another convoy at Sheeri on the Srinagar-Uri road the same day led to the death of two security personnel and two militants.

A day earlier, militants had targeted a BSF convoy at Sopore in Baramulla district with an IED, injuring three troopers travelling in a vehicle.

The Hizbul Mujahideen had claimed responsibility for both the IED blasts.

Observers claimed the message is clear -- the militant leadership felt sidelined and wanted to take centrestage in any settlement of the Kashmir issue.

They said it was against this backdrop that the Hurriyat Conference, ruling Peoples Democratic Party and Opposition National Conference have been advocating a 'ceasefire' and involvement of militants in the talks process.

"No doubt, the level of violence in the state has gone down appreciably ever since the talks process has set in motion four years ago but the latest surge in violence could be not be dismissed as isolated attacks. These are indicative of the presence of militants and their striking capability," an observer said.

Observers said grenade throwing incidents had also come down and militancy was restricted to gunfights between militants and security forces during search operations.

Meanwhile, authorities have beefed up security across the valley in view of the recent spurt in militant attacks and attempts by militants to infiltrate into the valley from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, official sources said.

Security forces deployed in the valley have been asked to intensify patrols, checking of vehicles and frisking of suspected persons, the sources said.

Vigils at the border has been tightened to scuttle any attempt by militants to sneak in.

Of late, there has been an increase in the number of attempts by militants to sneak into the valley from across the border to sustain militancy, the sources said, adding three such attempts were foiled last week in which two militants and an Army jawan were killed in Kupwara district.