Kashmir Militants Kill Eight, Injure 20 Indian Police Officers in Ambush

Sputnik News

19:02 25.06.2016

Eight Indian security personnel were killed and 20 more injured in a gunfight with militants in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir, according to local media.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – At least eight Indian security personnel were killed and 20 more injured in a militant ambush in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir, local media said Saturday.

A gunfight erupted following an ambush by unidentified militants on an Indian Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy traveling from Jammu to Srinagar in the contested region, with at least two militants killed by police in the fighting, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported.

"Firing exchanges are still going on at the attack site as two militants are still reported to be firing at the security forces," a police official was quoted as saying by the publication.

Police reinforcements have been sent to the area, while traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu highway came to a halt, according to the newspaper.

The Jammu and Kashmir region has been claimed by both India and Pakistan since the end of British rule in 1947. Following several armed conflicts, the two countries agreed to a ceasefire in 2003. Since then, both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violating the truce.

New Delhi suspects Islamabad of providing support to armed secessionist groups in the predominantly Muslim region, Pakistan denies the allegations.

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