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Militants Storm Indian Police Camp in Kashmir
Two so-called militants made a suicide attack against an Indian police camp Monday, December 4, in south Kashmir, the first since the Ramadan cease-fire came into force last Tuesday, according to the Press Trust of India (PTI).
One militant was killed and three reserve policemen were injured when the suicide squad stormed the Central Reserve Police Force camp in the India-controlled Anantnag district of south Kashmir, PTI said.
The militants came in a vehicle and lobbed grenades before storming the camp located in a defunct cinema hall at around 5 p.m. the agency quoted local police as saying.
Almost at the time of the attack, Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said here that the Ramadan cease-fire he announced last month could be extended if Pakistan cooperated and created a conducive atmosphere.
But, Vajpayee said the situation depends on the "reality" on the ground and he asked Pakistan to stop what he called "cross-border terrorism, violence" and maintain a friendly posture.
Reports reaching here said Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar asked New Delhi to open tripartite talks on Kashmir before the end of its month-long cease-fire during Ramadan and allow leaders of Hurriyat Conference, an anti-violence organization in Kashmir, to visit Islamabad during the period.
Last Saturday, Islamabad also announced a cease-fire along the line of control in the disputed Kashmir and said its forces deployed along the border between the two neighbors would observe maximum restraint.
A spokesman of the Indian External Affairs Ministry told the media here Monday that Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh is likely to make a statement in the parliament on Tuesday, which would outline India's response to Pakistan's announcement.
However, the Indian media reported that there has been a substantial decline in the incidence and intensity of fire along the line of control in Kashmir since Islamabad's announcement.
Meanwhile, PTI said, one Indian soldier was killed and 16 others were injured, seven of whom seriously, when militants blew up their vehicle with an improvised explosive device Monday afternoon in north Kashmir, the second major attack on the Indian army since Vajpayee's declaration of cease-fire.
Earlier, on November 28, five Indian soldiers were killed and 10 others injured when their vehicle was blown up by militants.
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