– [image: A Kashmiri man was beaten by a mob in New Delhi that accused him of chanting anti-India slogans]
SRINAGAR – Indian troops suffered new losses Monday in a battle withKashmir militants that left nine dead, officials said, just days after amajor suicide bomb attack escalated tensions with neighbouring Pakistan.
The confrontation piled more pressure on the Indian government, which hasblamed Pakistan for last Thursday’s suicide attack on a convoy that killedat least 41 paramilitaries.
Several hours of shooting rocked the Pulwama district, south of Kashmir’smain city of Srinagar, after officials said four soldiers, a policeman,three militants and a civilian were killed in the latest clash.
An army major was among the dead, along with three militants fromJaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) group which claimed last week’s attack, military andpolice officials said.
Six senior army men including a brigadier and a lieutenant colonel wereinjured in the hours-long gun battle, a police official told AFP.
“A police deputy inspector general has also suffered injuries,” theofficial said.
The identity of the militants was not revealed but local media reports saidone of those killed was Abdul Rashid Gazi, a Pakistani national whose rolein Thursday’s attack was being probed by investigators.
Hundreds of soldiers raided villages and fired warning shots at a suspectedmilitant hideout, unleashing the firefight in the village of Pinglan lateSunday.
Images showed flames and smoke billowing out of one of the residentialhouses in the area.
Government forces have launched a massive hunt since an explosives-packedvan struck the convoy transporting 2,500 security men close to Pinglan onThursday.
A video on social media purportedly shows a pre-recorded message by the20-year-old Kashmiri suicide bomber warning of more attacks.
India accuses Pakistan of harbouring the JeM group, a charge Islamabaddenies.
With tensions mounting, Islamabad recalled its envoy to New Delhi for”consultations” while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called forgreater international action against “terrorism”.
“The cruel terrorist attack in Pulwana shows that time for talks is over,”Modi said after a meeting with Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri in NewDelhi.
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– Mob attacks –
Thursday’s attack sparked anger and outrage across India.
Thousands of demonstrators staged angry rallies in several Indian citiesover the weekend, with attacks on Kashmiris reported in several towns.
Protesters in New Delhi on Sunday burned effigies of Pakistani and JeMleaders.
Many small businesses closed Monday following a call for a nationwideshutdown.
In the capital, a Kashmiri man was beaten by a mob that accused him ofchanting anti-India slogans. He was later detained by police.
A curfew remained in force for a fourth day in Jammu city, in theHindu-majority part of Kashmir, where mobs attacked and set fire toproperties belonging to Kashmiri Muslims.
Thousands of residents in the city have fled to Muslim-majority areas.
The government faces increased pressure because of an upcoming nationalelection.
New Delhi has withdrawn trade privileges for Pakistan and ended policeprotection for four Kashmiri separatist leaders.
Some commentators have called for military action against Pakistan.
India launched what it called ‘surgical strikes’ on targets in PakistaniKashmir in September 2016, 11 days after a militant attack on an Indianarmy base in Kashmir which left 19 soldiers dead. Pakistan denies thestrikes took place. – APP/AFP