Indian army said Saturday that it foiled an infiltration bid and killed four militants during a gunfight on the Line of Control (LoC) dividing Kashmir into Indian and Pakistani controlled parts.
The gunfight broke out early Saturday at Fateh Gali in Keran sector of frontier Kupwara district, around 155 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
"Today again four infiltrators were killed by our vigilant troops at Fateh Gali of Keran sector," said Col. Naresh Vig, Indian army spokesman. "After noticing some suspicious human movement our troopers challenged the men, who fired in return, thereby triggering a gunfight."
On Friday the army said it killed three militants in a similar fighting.
The Fateh Gali area is 25 km from Shala Bhata village in Keran sector where fierce fighting between Indian army and militants entered into 12th day Saturday. Indian army reportedly has pressed in choppers and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to take on the infiltrators.
The Indian army said they are fighting a group of 30-40 infiltrators in the area. The General officer Commanding (GoC) of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh on Wednesday said 12 infiltrators were killed and five Indian troopers were wounded in the standoff.
The Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from British in 1947, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
Indian defense officials said militants were trying to make infiltration attempts to engage Indian troops in the ongoing guerrilla war in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
A separatist movement challenging New Delhi's rule has been launched in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989.
New Delhi accuses Islamabad of providing arms and training to Kashmiri militants. However, Islamabad says it only offers moral and political support to Kashmiris.
