DATE=5/19/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-249558
TITLE=INDIA / KASHMIR FIGHTING (L) CQ
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE SENIOR INDIAN ARMY COMMANDER IN INDIAN KASHMIR SAYS
FIGHTING IS CONTINUING ALONG A SECTION OF THE KASHMIR BORDER.
VOA'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTS FROM NEW DELHI, AFTER TWELVE DAYS OF
SOMETIMES HEAVY COMBAT IN THE REGION THE INDIAN ARMY HAS BROKEN
ITS SILENCE ON THE FIGHTING, SAYING 12 OF ITS SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN
KILLED AND NEARLY FIFTY HAVE BEEN WOUNDED.
TEXT: INDIAN DEFENSE OFFICIALS REFUSE TO CONFIRM THEY ARE
ENGAGED IN COMBAT WITH PAKISTANI FORCES SAYING ONLY THEY ARE
FIGHTING "ARMED INFILTRATORS" BACKED BY PAKISTAN'S ARMY AND
INTELLIGENCE SERVICES.
CROSS BORDER ARTILLERY SHELLING BEGAN NEAR THE REMOTE TOWNS OF
KARGIL AND DRASS NEARLY TWO WEEKS AGO. THE AREA LIES ABOUT 200
KILOMETERS NORTHEAST OF SRINIGAR, THE SUMMER CAPITAL OF INDIA'S
JAMMU AND KASHMIR STATE. THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN
FORCED TO FLEE THE AREA. INDIA AIRLIFTED HUNDREDS OF TROOPS TO
THE REGION ON SATURDAY.
ON WEDNESDAY, INDIA'S SENIOR MILITARY COMMANDER IN THE REGION,
LIEUTENANT GENERAL KRISHNAN PAL, ENDED A NEWS BLACKOUT ON THE
FIGHTING, SAYING HIS TROOPS ARE ENGAGED IN THE LARGEST MILITARY
OPERATION IN KASHMIR IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. GENERAL PAL SAYS
ABOUT 300 TO 400 "ARMED INFILTRATORS" ENTERED THE REGION EARLIER
THIS MONTH FROM PAKISTAN.
// INSERT PAL ACTUALITY //
TO REVIVE THE DEFEATED PROXY WAR AND INTERNATIONALIZE
THE SITUATION. BY BUILDING UP WAR HYSTERIA. THIS IS A
LOCAL SITUATION AND WILL BE DEFEATED BY US LOCALLY.
THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF ITS ESCALATION INTO WAR.
// END ACTUALITY //
GENERAL PAL SAYS REPORTS THAT THE "ARMED INFILTRATORS" CAPTURED
ABOUT 20 BORDER POSTS ON THE INDIAN SIDE OF THE SO-CALLED "LINE
OF CONTROL" WHICH DIVIDES KASHMIR ARE "COMPLETELY FALSE."
// OPT // THE INDIAN ARMY COMMANDER ALSO SAYS A NUMBER OF
CIVILIANS HAD BEEN WOUNDED IN THE FIGHTING AND THAT HIS FORCES
HAVE INFLICTED HEAVY CASUALTIES -- KILLING MORE THAN 20
"INFILTRATORS" AND WOUNDING MORE THAN 70. GENERAL PAL SAYS HIS
TROOPS ARE CONTINUING EFFORTS TO SURROUND THE "INFILTRATORS" AND
HAVE CUT OFF THEIR SUPPLY LINES. // END OPT //
PAKISTAN HAS CONSISTENTLY DENIED INDIA'S CLAIMS THAT IT HELPS TO
TRAIN AND SUPPORT ABOUT A DOZEN MILITANT GROUPS FIGHTING IN
INDIAN KASHMIR, SAYING IT ONLY PROVIDES MORAL SUPPORT TO THE
ISLAMIC INSURGENCY. BOTH INDIA AND PAKISTAN CLAIM THE ENTIRE
TERRITORY OF KASHMIR AS THEIR OWN. INDIA HOLDS ABOUT TWO-THIRDS
OF KASHMIR AND PAKISTAN ONE-THIRD. TWO OF THE THREE WARS INDIA
AND PAKISTAN HAVE FOUGHT HAVE BEEN OVER THE DISPUTED TERRITORY.
(SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/KL/RAE
19-May-99 7:30 AM EDT (1130 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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