SRINAGAR, Feb 6 (2004) – Seventeen people, including 12 rebels, were killed in gunbattles across Kashmir on Friday, the largest one-day death toll since New Delhi began talks with Kashmir’s main separatist alliance last month.
An army spokesman told Reuters a soldier and six separatist guerrillas were killed in a fierce gunbattle near Bandipur town north of Srinagar, Kashmir’s main city. militant group, in an overnight gun battle in a residential area of Srinagar.
Five militants, two soldiers and two civilians were also killed in separate shootouts in the strife-torn region.
Kashmir remains prey to separatist violence despite peace moves by India and Pakistan over the Himalayan region, which has been the trigger for two of the three wars between the nuclear-armed neighbours over the past half-century.
The two countries have agreed to resume bilateral talks this month to tackle a range of issues, including Kashmir.
India accuses Pakistan of fomenting militant violence in Jammu and Kashmir, where more than 40,000 people have been killed in the revolt against New Delhi’s rule since 1989. Pakistan denies the charges.
