Indian army calls off major operation to fight militants on Kashmir LoC

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SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Oct. 9 -- The Indian army has called off a two-week operation to fight infiltrators on line-of-control (LoC) in Kashmir, officials said Wednesday.

The decision to call off the operation was made Tuesday by Indian army's Northern Command officer Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra during his visit to Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian- controlled Kashmir. "I have given directions that the concerted search operation of the area be called off," said Chachra

According to Chachra no post or village on LoC was occupied by Pakistani troops or militants during the standoff near LoC. "A total of eight militants have been killed and 59 large calibre weapons with large quantity of ammunition were recovered during the series of search operations in the area," he said. " We have only found eight bodies."

Last week, another senior commander of Indian army put the death toll of militants in the area around 12.

The LoC is a de facto border dividing Kashmir into Indian and Pakistani controlled parts.

The Indian army said markings on the weapons indicated Pakistani army had helped the militants in their infiltration. "It could not be possible without their support," Chachra said.

A separatist movement challenging New Delhi's rule is going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989.

New Delhi accuses Islamabad of providing arms and training to Kashmiri militants. However, Islamabad has repeatedly denied it.

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