SRINAGAR – At least three paramilitary soldiers were killed and an equalnumber injured Wednesday when suspected militants launched an attack on akey highway in Indian-administered Kashmir, officials said.
Sanjay Sharma, spokesman for India’s paramilitary Central Reserve PoliceForce (CRPF) told AFP that at least two car-borne militants attacked a footpatrol with automatic weapons, killing three members of the force.
He said one attacker was killed in retaliatory fire, while another managedto escape.
A senior police official speaking on condition of anonymity said a localpolice officer was also critically injured in the attack.
The attack was carried out along a sensitive road in the south of theterritory which is used by hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visiting aHindu cave shrine in the Kashmir Himalayas.
Eight pilgrims were killed after suspected militants attacked their vehiclein 2017.
The annual pilgrimage begins July 1.
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Gun battles between the militants and Indian government forces arefrequent, and this year over 100 rebels have been killed in the armedclashes so far.
Several armed rebel groups have fought for three-decades some 500,000Indian soldiers deployed in the restive territory which is also claimed byPakistan.
They enjoy widespread public support with many residents either seekingindependence or a merger of the former kingdom with Pakistan.
Rights groups say the fighting has left more than 70,000 dead so far,mostly civilians.
New Delhi regularly accuses Pakistan of helping the rebels with arms andammunition, an accusation Islamabad denies. -APP/AFP