``What we have to understand is that these Afghans and other foreign militants are hardened fanatics, well-trained and well-equipped, and, therefore, the encounters with them are becoming more fierce,'' the General said while answering reporters' queries after placing a wreath at the war memorial in Pune Cantonment. ``We have no choice but to kill or get killed,'' he said.

General Malik said the emergence of Taliban militants in Afghanistan should be of concern not only to India but the entire region. ``It is a matter of concern for us in particular since some countries are trying to force fundamentalism on a secular state like India.''

Malik said that the so-called call for freedom bymilitants in Kashmir had ``failed'' and now the militants were trying to rope in people through a call for jehad (holy war).

General Malik complimented the citizens' committee in Pune for taking up the memorial project and for ``upholding the dignity and honour of the soldier.'' ``I have always said,'' he remarked, ``that any country that does not honour its soldier has to eventually pay for it.''

He hoped that Pune's example would be followed in other parts of the country as well. Asked about the proposed war memorial in New Delhi, he said the project had now been revived.