*SRINAGAR: *Three Indian soldiers were killed while nine freedom fighterswere martyred in two separate incidents in Indian Occupied Kashmir,officials said on Sunday.
Occupied Kashmir had already been under a long-running curfew as New Delhiscrapped the disputed region’s semi-autonomous status on August 5.
Indian army spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia claimed to have killed fivearmed insurgents early Sunday in Keran area close to the Line of Control(LoC).
The clashes also left three soldiers dead and critically injured severalmore, he said in a brief statement.
The fighting came within 24 hours of another gun battle between freedomfighters and occupied forces in AFKulgam area that left four dead.
In February, two freedom fighters and an Indian soldier were killed in analleged shootout on the outskirts of Srinagar.
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The alleged gunfight occurred on the day when Pakistan and Kashmirisworldwide were observing Kashmir Solidarity Day, marked on February 5 everyyear, to extend moral support to people in the disputed region.
This year, the day was being observed in the backdrop of India’scontroversial decision to revoke the disputed state’s autonomy.
On Aug. 5, 2019, the Modi government scrapped special provisions in theconstitution, downgrading the status of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmirinto two centrally administered Union Territories (UT), thus putting thetwo territories under its direct rule. – APP / AFP