DATE=2/27/2000 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=INDIA - KASHMIR (L-ONLY) NUMBER=2-259610 BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA DATELINE=NEW DELHI CONTENT= VOICED AT: Intro: India says Pakistani troops have attacked an Indian border post in Kashmir. Indian authorities say six soldiers have been killed in the attack, and two are missing. From New Delhi, Anjana Pasricha reports on the latest incident on the Kashmiri border between the two South Asian neighbors. Text: A senior Indian defense spokesman says Pakistani troops attacked the Indian army post in Kashmir early Sunday. The remote border post lies in the Laam area, 185 kilometers north of Jammu, the winter capital of Indian Kashmir. Major General P.P.S. Bindra of India's northern command says the border post is located on the "line of control" that divides Kashmir between the two countries, and is encircled by Pakistan on three sides. Major General Bindra told Indian television there has been heavy exchange of fire between the two sides. ///Insert Bindra act/// This raid was accompanied by fairly heavy exchange of fire. As a result we have lost six of our soldiers, whose bodies have been recovered. Two of them are still missing. ///end Bindra act/// According to defense officials, the body of one soldier had been decapitated, while two others were charred. This is the second incident along the disputed Kashmir border in the past three days. On Friday, Pakistan accused Indian troops of killing at least 14 Pakistani civilians after crossing the "line of control". India denied the Pakistani claim. Thousands of Indian and Pakistani troops face each other across the "line of control" - and skirmishes along the border are common. But tensions in Kashmir have increased since last summer when India fought a two-month battle to evict Pakistan-backed Muslim guerrillas from the Himalayan mountains. Senior U.S. officials recently described the disputed region as a "fuse" and a "tinderbox.' The arch rivals have fought two wars over Kashmir since becoming independent in 1947. India controls two-thirds of Kashmir, Pakistan the rest. Both countries claim the entire region. (signed) NEB/AP/PLM ______________________________________________ 27-Feb-2000 06:57 AM EDT (27-Feb-2000 1157 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
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