Indian forces clash with Kashmir rebels

INTENSE UNREST OVER CONTROL

GOVERNMENT forces have killed five rebels in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said, while a second day of anti-India protests and clashes left five civilians dead and dozens injured in the disputed region.

Hundreds of villagers threw rocks at Indian troops in a bid to help rebels who were trapped in a house in southern Shopian area.

Counter-insurgency officers and soldiers cordoned off the village following intelligence that a group of militants were hiding there.

As the rebels and soldiers fought, government forces also fired bullets, shotgun pellets and tear gas at protesters trying to reach the gunbattle site. Five civilians were killed, one a teenage boy, and at least 50 others were wounded.

It was the second straight day of intense unrest in the region, which India and Pakistan administer parts of but both claim in its entirety. Rebels have been fighting Indian rule since 1989, demanding Indian-controlled Kashmir be made part of Pakistan or become an independent country.

Most Kashmiris support the rebel cause while also participating in civilian street protests against Indian control.

In recent years, mainly young Kashmiris have displayed open solidarity with rebels and sought to protect them by engaging troops in street clashes during military operations.