DATE=7/10/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251613
TITLE=INDIA / PAKISTAN (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA
DATELINE=NEW DELHI
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: INDIA SAYS IT HAS EVICTED MUSLIM FIGHTERS FROM ITS
TERRITORY IN TWO OF THE FOUR SECTORS OF KASHMIR WHERE IT IS
CONDUCTING A MILITARY OFFENSIVE AGAINST ISLAMIC FIGHTERS FROM
KASHMIR. ANJANA PASRICHA REPORTS FROM NEW DELHI, FIERCE FIGHTING
CONTINUES IN OTHER AREAS IN THE HIMALAYAN REGION, AS PAKISTAN
APPEALS TO MUSLIM INSURGENTS TO RESOLVE THE CRISIS.
TEXT: INDIAN DEFENSE OFFICIALS SAY ENEMY FIGHTERS HAVE BEEN
BEATEN BACK ACROSS THE BORDER IN KASHMIR'S BATALIK AND DRAS
SECTORS, TWO OF THE FOUR SECTORS WHERE INIDA IS CONDUTING
MILITARY OPERATIONS. THEY SAY INDIAN TROOPS NOW OCCUPY ALL FOUR
MOUNTAIN RIDGES WHICH HAD BEEN CAPTURED BY INTRUDERS IN BATALIK.
INDIA IS DESCRIBING THE LATEST OPERATIONS AS SIGNIFICANT GAINS.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME INDIA HAS CLAIMED REACHING THE SO-CALLED
LINE OF CONTROL THAT DIVIDES KASHMIR BETWEEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN.
IN A STATEMENT, DEFENSE MINISTER. GEORGE FERNANDES SAYS THE ENEMY
HAS BEEN ROUTED, AND IS ON THE RUN.
INDIA IS CONDUCTING ITS MILITARY OFFENSIVE ALONG A 180-KILOMETER
LONG BATTLEFRONT. THE ARMY SAYS WITH THE SUCCESS IN BATALIK, TWO
OF THESE ZONES ARE NOW ALMOST CLEAR.
BUT THERE IS FIERCE FIGHTING IN OTHER REGIONS WHERE MUSLIM
INTRUDERS CONTINUE TO CONTROL SEVERAL HIGH PEAKS. THE ARMY IS
NOW FOCUSING ATTENTION ON THE MUSKHOH VALLEY, WHERE HUNDREDS OF
PARATROOPER COMMANDOS ARE GATHERED AROUND AN ARMY BASE -- WAITING
TO STORM GUERRILLA POSITIONS. SCORES OF INDIAN SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN
WOUNDED IN THE FIGHTING HERE.
IT IS ALMOST A WEEK SINCE PAKISTANI PRIME MINISTER NAWAZ SHARIF
PROMISED TO TAKE STEPS TO WITHDRAW INTRUDERS FROM INDIAN KASHMIR.
SINCE THEN THE FIGHTING HAS ESCALATED.
INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN RAMINDER JASSAL SAYS NEW DELHI
HAS SEEN NO SIGNS OF THE FIGHTERS WITHDRAWING -- AND WILL
CONTINUE WITH ITS MILITARY OPERATION UNTIL THEY ARE EVICTED FROM
INDIAN KASHMIR.
///BEGIN JASSAL ACT///
WE HAVE A TASK AT HAND FOR WHICH THE MILITARY OPERATIONS
ARE GOING ON, THE AIRFORCE AND ARMY OPERATIONS ARE GOING
ON, AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF EVICTING THE INTRUDERS
AND AGRESSORS FROM OUR SIDE OF THE LINE OF CONTROL.
///END JASSAL ACT///
INDIA SAYS THE FIGHTERS ARE MAINLY PAKISTANI SOLDIERS, ALONG WITH
SOME ISLAMIC GUERRILLAS. PAKISTAN DENIES ITS INVOLVEMENT IN THE
FIGHTING, BUT IS ASKING MUSLIM INSURGENTS TO HELP "RESOLVE THE
CRISIS". ACCORDING TO ANALYSTS, THIS IS A PLEA TO WITHDRAW. BUT
ANALYSTS ALSO SAY, IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IF PRIME MINISTER SHARIF
CAN ENSURE THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE FIGHTERS IN THE FACE OF
OPPOSITION FROM MUSLIM MILITANT GROUPS. (SIGNED)
NEB/AP/PLM
10-Jul-99 5:59 AM EDT (0959 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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