6 dead in militant attack on Indian army base in Kashmir

The Associated Press
The Associated Press

JAMMU, India (AP) — Officials say at least five soldiers and one civilian have been killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir, as firing between soldiers and armed militants holed up inside an army camp entered its second day.

The region’s top police official, S.P. Vaid, says the gunbattle, which began at dawn Saturday when the militants stormed the base, has continued into Sunday afternoon. Eleven people have been injured.

Vaid said security forces were sweeping through the camp slowly, since soldiers and their families live there.

It was unclear how many militants were involved.

Several militant groups have been fighting for Kashmir’s independence from India or its merger with Pakistan since 1989. Around 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep among Kashmir’s mostly Muslim population.

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