Villagers help rebels escape

Police and witnesses say government forces have killed three rebels in a 24-hour gun battle in the Indiancontrolled part of disputed Kashmir, while at least 35 civilians were injured in anti-India protests and clashes in solidarity with the militants. Police said the fighting yesterday erupted after soldiers and counterinsurgency police raided Bahmnoo, a village in southern Kashmir. The gunfight triggered intense clashes after hundreds of civilians marched near the site to help the trapped militants escape. India and Pakistan control part of Kashmir, but both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety. Anti-India sentiment runs deep among the region’s mostly Muslim population.