Firefights in Kashmir could reignite conflict with Pakistan
In Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir , pro-independence militants opened fire on Indian soldiers, sparking heated firefights and prompting the Indian military to send reinforcements to the area to facilitate searches and the search for the attackers.
Indian media reported that four soldiers died. Kashmir, a Muslim-majority region, has seen an increase in attacks in the past two months.
The 16 Corps of the Indian Army announced that security forces began an operation in Doda district on Monday evening.
The area affected by the clashes
“Contact was established with the terrorists… (a heavy firefight ensued),” he said in a statement. “Initial reports indicate that our brave soldiers have been wounded.”
The army provided no further information on the casualties and there was no official confirmation of the deaths. However, Indian media widely reported that five soldiers were 'critically' injured, and the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported that four of them later succumbed to their wounds.
The Indian army announced that "additional troops" had been deployed in the area.
“The operations continue,” he underlined.
A crisis that has been brewing for some time
The clashes occurred a day after the Indian army killed three suspected militants in Kashmir's Kupwara district on Sunday.
Earlier this month, gunmen ambushed an army convoy, killing five soldiers, while two other soldiers and six suspected militants were killed in separate incidents.
In June, nine Indian Hindu pilgrims were killed and dozens injured when a gunman attacked their bus in southern Reasi. This attack was one of the deadliest in recent years and the first to target Hindu pilgrims in Kashmir since 2017, when seven people were killed in another bus ambush.
It is notable that the territory of Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since its independence in 1947. Rebel groups have been fighting with Indian forces for over three decades, demanding Kashmir's independence or its annexation by Pakistan. Very often these armed groups then find asylum in Pakistan, and this increases tension between the two countries. In 2019, the Indian air force's attack on a Kashmiri "terrorist" base in Pakistani territory caused border clashes and dogfights.
Tens of thousands of civilians, soldiers and rebels have lost their lives in recent years. India accuses Pakistan of supporting militants. Now both countries are nuclear powers
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This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/scontri-a-fuoco-nel-kashmir-possono-riaccendere-il-conflitto-con-il-pakistan/ on Tue, 16 Jul 2024 15:21:08 +0000.