SRINAGAR: The Indian army has killed two militants who were trying to sneak into Kashmir from across the Line of Control early Wednesday morning.
Sources say the gunfight in Keran sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district was on till last reports came in (at 0949hrs IST).
The incident comes just a week after five Indian soldiers were killed in a deadly attack on the LoC. India accused Pakistani soldiers of crossing the LoC and killing their troops, a charge which Islamabad denies.
The Indian army said the killing of its soldiers was an act of revenge by Pakistan against the killing of 19 militants during infiltration attempts in the preceeding weeks.
However, sources say many, even in New Delhi, believe the attack was a revenge against the kidnapping and subsequent killing of four ordinary civilians by Indian troops from the Neelum valley of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
Blame Game
There has been a surge in clashes at the LoC that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan, although overall peace has been maintained since a ceasefire agreement was signed a decade ago.
Last January, a series of deadly clashes halted trade, travel for many days and stalled the peace dialogue between the south Asian nuclear rivals.
The Indian army says there have been 57 ceasefire violations by Pakistan this year which, it said, was almost 80% more than the last year.
Pakistan on the other hand blames India for violations and said its firing also killed a Pakistani civilian just days ago.
The killings have cast a shadow on the resumption of peace talks. Pakistan has proposed dates for resuming the talks, and India has been preparing a response.
