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Seventeen Indian soldiers and four militants killed in Kashmir attack | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Militants attacked an Indian army brigade headquarters near the de facto border with Pakistan on Sunday, killing at least 17 soldiers as the region suffered its worst violence since 2010. | |
Four “fidayeen” – or commando-style gunmen willing to fight to the death – had been confirmed killed after penetrating the base in Uri near the Line of Control with Pakistan, an Indian army spokesman said. | Four “fidayeen” – or commando-style gunmen willing to fight to the death – had been confirmed killed after penetrating the base in Uri near the Line of Control with Pakistan, an Indian army spokesman said. |
The encounter resulted in “heavy casualties. We salute the sacrifice of 17 soldiers who were martyred in the operation”, the army said in a statement. | |
“In the counter action, four terrorists have been eliminated and combing operations are in progress,” the statement said. | |
The army deployed helicopters to evacuate 20 soldiers who had been injured in the dawn attack that was followed by an hours-long gunfight, army sources said. | |
The raid comes amid heightened tension in India’s only Muslim-majority region, which has faced more than two months of protests following the 8 July killing of a popular separatist field commander. | The raid comes amid heightened tension in India’s only Muslim-majority region, which has faced more than two months of protests following the 8 July killing of a popular separatist field commander. |
At least 78 civilians have been killed and thousands injured in street clashes with the Indian security forces, who have been criticised by human rights groups for using excessive force including shotguns that fire pellets that have blinded people. | At least 78 civilians have been killed and thousands injured in street clashes with the Indian security forces, who have been criticised by human rights groups for using excessive force including shotguns that fire pellets that have blinded people. |
Home minister Rajnath Singh said in a series of Twitter posts that he had spoken to the region’s political and military leadership and had instructed senior officials to monitor the situation. | Home minister Rajnath Singh said in a series of Twitter posts that he had spoken to the region’s political and military leadership and had instructed senior officials to monitor the situation. |
He cancelled planned trips to Russia and the US. | He cancelled planned trips to Russia and the US. |
“We have activated the entire force in and around Uri sector to step up security and launch combing operations,” a senior ministry official said. | “We have activated the entire force in and around Uri sector to step up security and launch combing operations,” a senior ministry official said. |
“It is clearly a case of cross-border terror attack. We don’t know which militant group is involved,” this official added. | “It is clearly a case of cross-border terror attack. We don’t know which militant group is involved,” this official added. |
There has been no independent claim of responsibility. | There has been no independent claim of responsibility. |
The military death toll was the worst in Indian-ruled Kashmir since a raid in December 2014, also near Uri which is to the west of the region’s main city of Srinagar, in which eight soldiers and three police were killed. | The military death toll was the worst in Indian-ruled Kashmir since a raid in December 2014, also near Uri which is to the west of the region’s main city of Srinagar, in which eight soldiers and three police were killed. |
India accuses Pakistan of supporting militant attacks in its northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir, which they both claim in full but rule only in part. | India accuses Pakistan of supporting militant attacks in its northernmost state of Jammu and Kashmir, which they both claim in full but rule only in part. |
Prime minister Narendra Modi recently raised the stakes in their decades-old feud by expressing support for separatists within Pakistan. | Prime minister Narendra Modi recently raised the stakes in their decades-old feud by expressing support for separatists within Pakistan. |
Pakistan denies any role in cross-border terrorism, and has called on the United Nations and the international community to investigate atrocities it alleges have been committed by the security forces in Indian-ruled Kashmir. | Pakistan denies any role in cross-border terrorism, and has called on the United Nations and the international community to investigate atrocities it alleges have been committed by the security forces in Indian-ruled Kashmir. |
Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours have been on edge since a January attack on an Indian air force base in Punjab, near the border with Pakistan, that killed seven uniformed men. | Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours have been on edge since a January attack on an Indian air force base in Punjab, near the border with Pakistan, that killed seven uniformed men. |
India has blamed a Pakistan-based militant group for that attack but, after initial progress, an attempt to conduct a joint investigation has lost momentum. | India has blamed a Pakistan-based militant group for that attack but, after initial progress, an attempt to conduct a joint investigation has lost momentum. |
The two sides have frozen a tentative peace dialogue. | The two sides have frozen a tentative peace dialogue. |