India, Pakistan in Kashmir clash

Submitted by rkm on Mon, 07/28/2008 - 22:28.

n Indian soldier has been killed by Pakistani
troops who crossed the Line of Control dividing the disputed territory
of Kashmir, India says.

A spokesman for the Indian army, Anil Kumar Mathur, told the BBC that 10 to 12 Pakistani soldiers had entered Indian territory.

He said that shots were exchanged after an argument, and that firing had continued until Monday evening.

India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir.

Lt Col Mathur said that the Pakistani troops were
protesting over an Indian post set up on the Line of Control (LoC) in
Nowgam sector.

He said that one Indian soldier was wounded before the
Pakistani soldiers retreated to their side of the LoC, firing at Indian
soldiers as they did so. Indian troops returned fire and clashes are
reported to be continuing.

Pakistan's army spokesman said he had no information on the clash.

The BBC's Altaf Hussain in Srinagar - the summer capital of
Indian-administered Kashmir - says that that two sides have on several
occasions accused each other of violating the ceasefire along the LoC
since it was declared in November 2003.

Our correspondent says that despite the alleged violations, the ceasefire has so far held after months of relative peace.

But the Kashmir Valley has seen a number of attacks in recent weeks.

Earlier this month, a former militant and three members of his family were killed by militants in Doda district, police said.

Before that, four people including two civilians were killed in two separate attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir.

The violence comes after talks between senior officials from
India and Pakistan to step up confidence-building measures in divided
Kashmir.