12 militants killed after clashes in Indian-administered Kashmir

[News_Editor]

12 militants killed after clashes in Indian-administered Kashmir

2011-08-21 11:26:48 GMT+7 (ICT)

SRINAGAR, KASHMIR (BNO NEWS) -- The Indian Army on Saturday foiled a major infiltration bid in the Kashmir valley, killing 12 intruders as they were trying to cross over from Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, the local daily the Hindustan Times reported.

According to Defense spokesman Lieutenant Colonel J. S. Brar, the clashes occurred on Saturday morning at around 1 a.m. local time when Indian troops deployed on the Line of Control near Baktoor village in Gurez Sector of Bandipora district in north Kashmir intercepted a group of militants trying to cross the Kishanganga River in a pneumatic boat.

"This [use of boats] is certainly a new development. The terrorists were also carrying an inflatable dinghy," the spokesman told the newspaper. In the ensuing gun battle between the parts, 12 militants and an Indian army officer were killed. Two Indian soldiers were injured.

The deceased Army officer was identified as Lieutenant Navdeep Singh who was commissioned in March into the Army Ordnance Corps and was serving in the 15th Battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry.

According to the Defense spokesman, five AK rifles, one pistol, two boats, 50 assorted grenades, two radio sets, two compasses and one Global Positioning System (GPS) besides a large quantity of war-like stores were seized during the operation.

"This is the eighth infiltration attempt this month and the biggest so far this year," Brar added.

In May, General Officer Commanding 15 Corps Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain expressed his fears that infiltration attempts would increase in the coming months from across the Line of Control in Kashmir after the killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

"After the killing of al-Qaeda chief there are fears that Pakistan might try to infiltrate more militants. There are a large number of militants waiting to infiltrate from across the border," General Hasnain said, as quoted by The Times of India newspaper.

A guerrilla war has been going on between militants and the Indian troops stationed in Muslim-majority Kashmir, which is divided into parts administered by India and Pakistan. Militant groups are usually blamed for attacks, while soldiers have been accused of rights abuses.

The government says more than 45,000 people - including civilians, militants and troops - have died in the region over the past two decades.

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