https://arab.news/jwk77
- Gunbattle started Monday in Kulgam territory when soldiers launched search for armed militants
- Rebel groups have waged insurgency against Indian rule in disputed Kashmir territory since 1989
SRINAGAR, India: Two suspected rebels and as many soldiers were killed during a two-day clash in Indian-administered Kashmir, officials said Tuesday.
The gunbattle started Monday in forests in southern Kulgam in the disputed territory when soldiers launched a search for armed militants after receiving a tip-off.
It triggered a “fierce exchange of gunfire” over two days leading to the deaths, the army’s Chinar Corps said on social media.
“#IndianArmy expresses deepest condolences and stands in solidarity with the bereaved families” of the slain soldiers, the statement added.
The identities of the militants was being investigated.
Muslim-majority Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947, and both claim the territory in full.
Rebel groups have waged an insurgency against Indian rule since 1989, demanding Kashmir’s independence or its merger with Pakistan.
The conflict has left tens of thousands dead, mostly civilians.