Counter-insurgent

This year's list of Padma awardees includes a surrendered Kashmiri militant and counter-insurgent against whom cases of extortion and attempted murder are pending. The man, Ghulam Mohammed Mir, has been honoured with a Padma Shri for public service. He runs a band-saw business in his native Magam in central Kashmir's Budgam district, and is widely known by the nickname Muma Kana.
The Jammu and Kashmir government took several days to trace the awardee. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he did not think that his government had recommended Mir for the Padma.

Could you please explain to me what "counter-insurgent" means here?

Source : http://in.news.yahoo.com/48/20100202/804/tnl-former-militant-is-a-padma-shri2010.html

Though I know "insurgent" means "a rebel".