DATE=6/5/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-250261
TITLE=INDIA / PAK / KASHMIR (L)
BYLINE=JIM TEEPLE
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIAN AND PAKISTANI TROOPS EXCHANGED ARTILLERY FIRE
ACROSS THE KASHMIR BORDER TODAY (SATURDAY), AS INDIAN FIGHTER
JETS CARRIED OUT AN 11TH DAY OF ATTACKS AGAINST GUERRILLA
INFILTRATORS INDIA SAYS CROSSED THE BORDER FROM PAKISTAN.
V-O-A'S JIM TEEPLE REPORTS, INDIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE SEALED OFF
THE REGION TO CIVILIANS AND NOW SAY THEY HAVE PROOF OF DIRECT
PAKISTANI INVOLVEMENT IN THE FIGHTING.
TEXT: INDIAN COMMANDERS DISPLAYED THREE CAPTURED WEAPONS WITH
PAKISTANI MARKINGS AND DISTRIBUTED PHOTOS OF WHAT THEY DESCRIBE
AS THREE DEAD PAKISTAN SOLDIERS. THEY ALSO DISTRIBUTED PHOTOS OF
PAKISTAN MILITARY DOCUMENTS, SAYING THEY WERE FOUND ON THE THREE
MEN.
SPEAKING TO REPORTERS IN SRINIAGAR, THE SUMMER CAPITAL OF INDIA'S
JAMMU AND KASHMIR STATE, BRIGADIER AROUN CHOPRA SAYS THE WEAPONS
INCLUDED ONE MACHINE GUN. ALL THE WEAPONS, HE SAYS, SHOW CLEARLY
VISIBLE PAKISTANI ORDINANCE MARKINGS. BRIGADIER CHOPRA SAYS THE
THREE PAKISTANI SOLDIERS WERE KILLED IN AN ENGAGEMENT ON THE
THIRD OF JUNE. THE ACTION, HE SAYS, TOOK PLACE WELL INSIDE
INDIAN TERRITORY.
/// FIRST CHOPRA ACT ///
THESE PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN AN ACTION SIX TO SEVEN
KILOMETERS INSIDE THE "LINE OF CONTROL" ON OUR SIDE, AND
THE BODIES WERE RECOVERED THERE.
/// END ACT ///
PAKISTAN HAS STRONGLY DENIED ITS FORCES ARE INVOLVED IN THE
FIGHTING, SAYING IT ONLY GIVES MORAL SUPPORT TO KASHMIRI
MILITANTS SEEKING INDEPENDENCE. BRIGADIER CHOPRA SAYS INDIA NOW
HAS PROOF THAT PAKISTANI SOLDIERS ARE AMONG THE INFILTRATORS.
/// SECOND CHOPRA ACT ///
THIS IS CLEAR PROOF OF PAKISTAN'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE
INTRUSIONS WHICH HAVE DONE INTO OUR TERRITORY ACROSS THE
"LINE OF CONTROL."
/// END ACT ///
// OPT // INDIAN ARMY AUTHORITIES SAY THE BODIES OF THE THREE
MEN WILL BE RETURNED TO PAKISTAN (LATER SATURDAY) IN AN EXCHANGE
ACROSS THE "LINE OF CONTROL" -- THE CEASE-FIRE LINE WHICH DIVIDES
KASHMIR. // END OPT //
INDIA ON SATURDAY SEALED OFF THE SECTION OF KASHMIR WHERE
FIGHTING IS TAKING PLACE, SAYING COMMANDERS IN THE REGION
ANTICIPATE AN ESCALATION OF FIGHTING. THE ORDER EFFECTIVELY
BARS JOURNALISTS FROM FREELY MOVING ABOUT THE KARGIL, DRAS AND
BATALIK SECTORS, WHICH LIE ABOUT 200 KILOMETERS NORTH OF
SRINIGAR. INDIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY DEFENSIVE
IN RECENT DAYS ABOUT REPORTS THEY ARE COERCING LOCALS IN THE AREA
TO CARRY SUPPLIES FOR INDIAN ARMY TROOPS INTO COMBAT AREAS. MOST
OF THE ESTIMATED 10-THOUSAND RESIDENTS OF THE AREA HAVE FLED THE
FIGHTING.
THE INDIAN ARMY SAYS ITS FORCES ARE ENGAGED IN FIERCE
HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT, TRYING TO RECAPTURE AT LEAST EIGHT STRATEGIC
PEAKS OCCUPIED BY THE INFILTRATORS. INDIAN COMMANDERS SAY THEY
HAVE PUSHED THE INFILTRATORS BACK ABOUT SEVEN KILOMETERS --
ALMOST BACK TO THE "LINE OF CONTROL" -- AND HAVE CUT OFF MOST OF
THEIR SUPPLY ROUTES. (SIGNED)
NEB/JLT/WTW
05-Jun-99 5:11 AM EDT (0911 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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