Two Indian troops killed in Kashmir fighting

THE Indian army said two of its soldiers were killed yesterday in the latest exchange of cross border firing with Pakistan along the de facto border in Kashmir, amid heightened tensions between the countries.

One soldier was killed in a firefight as Indian troops pushed back against Pakistani “infiltrators” while another died in a separate incident, according to Army spokesman Colonel NN Joshi and a further statement from the military.

Tensions between the nucleararmed rivals have soared since September when militants attacked an Indian army base in Kashmir leaving 19 soldiers dead. Since then the two sides have exchanged heavy fire almost daily leading to deaths of soldiers and civilians on both sides of the border.

India blamed the September attack on Pakistan-based militants and responded with “surgical strikes” on what New Delhi described as terrorist launching pads across the dividing line.

The exchanges come against the backdrop of months of protests against Indian rule of Kashmir, sparked by the killing of a popular rebel leader in a firefight with Indian forces in July.

The unrest has left more than 90 civilians dead in government forces’ action to quell the protests.

Over 12,000 were injured, according to hospital authorities and around 7,000 suspected protesters have been arrested during a continuing security crackdown to quell the anti-India protests.