Skirmish across Disputed Kashmir Border Kills 7
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A gun battle broke out Friday morning after militants attacked an Indian army camp in disputed Kashmir and left five Indian troops and two suspected militants dead, officials said.
An army officer said the rebels were hurling grenades and firing automatic rifles as they tried to enter an artillery unit of the camp in Uri region. The camp is near the heavily militarized line of control that divides the Himalayan region into an Indian-administered portion and a Pakistan-controlled side.
Three army soldiers and two policemen were killed on the Indian side, while two militants were also killed, police said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to media.
None of several rebel groups active in Kashmir issued any statement about Friday's fighting, which erupted two days after a gun battle broke out in the neighboring Handwara region. Six suspected rebels and one Indian army officer were killed.
The rebel groups have been fighting against Indian rule since 1989, with most of the violence happening in more temperate summer months. More than 68,000 people have been killed since 1989 in the uprising and Indian military crackdown, which also largely suppressed rebel activity, AP reported.
There has been a flurry of recent attacks, however, as the region holds local elections. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited twice in the last month, and is due to return on Monday to give a campaign speech in Srinagar.
The violence was not deterring voters, as election officials said turnout for the first two of five phases was about 70 percent.
India and Pakistan have fought two of three wars since 1947 over their rival claims to the territory. India accuses Pakistan of supporting the militants with arms and trainings, while Islamabad staunchly denies this, saying it offers only morale and diplomatic support for their cause.
