15 wounded in Indian-controlled Kashmir grenade attack

At least 15 people were wounded on Saturday in a grenade attack in Indian- controlled Kashmir, police said.

The grenade attack occurred at Shopian town, about 50 km south of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Suspected militants this afternoon threw a grenade toward a police party in main market here," Altaf Ahmad Khan, a senior police officer in Shopian told Xinhua. "The grenade missed the intended target and exploded on the road, wounding 15 civilians."

The explosion triggered panic in the town and all the wounded were immediately taken to district hospital, locals said.

According to Khan, the police party was in a marketplace as part of routine patrol.

"We have received 15 civilians with splinter wounds today and all of them have been provided medical aid," a medic said.

So far, no militant group has claimed responsibility of this attack.

Militants occasionally target Indian police and troopers in the region.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989.

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