5 Indian troops die in Kashmir militant attack

SRINAGAR, Jammu and Kashmir

A militant attack left five Indian paramilitary personnel killed in southern Kashmir Wednesday, Indian police said.

Separately, a militant was killed in the retaliatory firing of the Indian forces in the Anantnag district.

It took place in Cheeni Chowk, a busy market place in Anantnag.

“In this terror incident, five CRPF [Central Reserve Police Source] personnel attained martyrdom while repulsing the said terror attack.

“Further in this incident three security forces personnel including SHO [Station House Officer] Anantnag Inspector Arshid Khan sustained gunshot injuries. In the retaliatory action, the terrorist was gunned down on the spot,” a police statement said.

The slain militant was identified as a foreigner, the statement added, without giving any details on the nationality.

According to reports in the local media, the SHO of Saddar police station in Anantnag was also wounded in the attack.

The attack revived the memories of the Pulwama bombing attack in Kashmir, which claimed at least 40 Indian paramiltary personnel in February.

According to Global News Service (GNS), a Kashmiri news agency, the Al-Umar Mujahideen, a militant group led by a Kashmiri militant Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The attack comes a day before the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyz capital Bishkek, which will be attended by both Pakistani Premier Imran Khan and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Jammu and Kashmir, a Muslim-majority Himalayan region, is held by India and Pakistan in parts and claimed by both in full. A small sliver of Kashmir is also held by China.

Since they were partitioned in 1947, the two countries have fought three wars -- in 1948, 1965 and 1971 -- two of them over Kashmir.

Also, in Siachen glacier in northern Kashmir, Indian and Pakistani troops have fought intermittently since 1984. A cease-fire came into effect in 2003.

Some Kashmiri groups in Jammu and Kashmir have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or for unification with neighboring Pakistan.

According to several human rights organizations, thousands of people have reportedly been killed in the conflict in the region since 1989.