Off the wire
• New York Governor plans first trade mission to Cuba  • 1st LD Writethru: Suicide car bombing rocks S. Afghanistan, injuring 2  • DPRK negotiator, former U.S. diplomats meet unofficially in Singapore  • 2nd LD Writethru-China Focus: China home prices fall as trends diverge among cities  • 23 militants surrender in N. Afghanistan  • Two more police officers shot dead in Pakistan's Karachi  • Five killed in drunk driving accident in NE China  • Urgent: Suicide car bombing injures one in S. Afghanistan  • Cuban writer wins national literature award for 2014  • FLASH: CAR BOMBING ROCKS KANDAHAR IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN -- OFFICIAL  
You are here: 　 Home

Ist LD Writethru: Indian troops kill 2 militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Xinhua, January 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

Two militants of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) group including a commander were killed Sunday in a gunfight with contingents of Indian troops and police in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunfight erupted at Saidpora village of volatile Sopore town, about 52 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Two militants of JeM were gunned down today in a gunfight with joint contingents of army and police," a police officer posted at Sopore said. "Both the militants were foreigners."

The gunfight, according to police, began after troops in the area were fired upon by the holed up militants.

"The operation to track down militants was carried out on an intelligence input suggesting presence of militants in the area," the officer said. "The contingents of police and army cordoned the area Saturday night."

The gunfight lasted for around three hours, reports said.

Last week a militant was killed in a similar gunfight at Sofi Hamam locality of the town.

The killings of militants have come a day after militants shot dead a policeman posted as a security guard of a local legislator in Redwani area of Kulgam district, about 55 km south of Srinagar.

Police spokesman said militants attacked the policeman while he was riding a motorcycle. A civilian sitting on his bike too was wounded in the attack, police said.

On Thursday five militants were killed in a fierce gunfight with contingents of Indian troops and police in the region.

U.S. President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit India on Jan. 26 as the chief guest on India's republic day celebrations and ceremonial parade in New Delhi.

Indian military has warned of attacks ahead of the high- profile visit.Militant groups are engaged in guerrilla war with Indian troops in the region since 1989.

Gunfight between the two sides takes place intermittently.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir Endi