Seven dead in Indian Kashmir rebel attack

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Suspected rebels stormed a paramilitary camp in Indian Kashmir early Sunday leaving seven dead in a fierce gunfight, a security forces spokesman said.

Four Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) paramilitary troopers and three militants were killed, with the wounded paramilitary troopers being removed to an Indian army base hospital in Srinagar for treatment.

"Three soldiers died in combat and another died of cardiac arrest during the ongoing operation. Three terrorists were also killed," CRPF spokesman Rajesh Yadav told AFP.

Locals living in the vicinity of the camp said the sound of gunfire and blasts could be heard from a distance at 2:00 a.m. local time. This was also confirmed by officials.

Policemen stand guard outside the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) training center during a gun battle with suspected militants in Lethpora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, December 31, 2017. / Reuters Photo‍

Militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed responsibility of the attack. In a statement to local news organizations, the outfit said three of its militants attacked the camp.

The region's police chief Shesh Paul Vaid described the attack as unfortunate and told the media they had intelligence inputs about an impending militant strike in the region.

In a similar attack on a district police complex in Pulwama in August this year, four CRPF personnel and four policemen were killed.

A guerrilla war has been going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both countries in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.

(With inputs from Xinhua and AFP)

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