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Indian military officer wounded in ongoing gunfight with militants near Kashmir LoC

Xinhua, November 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

An Indian military officer was wounded Sunday in an ongoing gunfight with militants near Line of Control (LoC) in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said.

The gunfight resumed in Manigah forest area of frontier Kupwara district, about 135 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"An officer of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel was wounded in gunfight in Kupwara district," Indian military spokesman Col N N Joshi told Xinhua. "The officer was immediately removed to hospital and is undergoing treatment there."

Indian military and police have cordoned off the forest area for the past several days to track down militants present there.

On Tuesday an Indian military officer was killed, while as four troopers and a policeman were wounded in the area during a fierce stand off.

Following the gunfight, militants went into hiding in the forest, however contingents of military and police intensified the searches using helicopters, para-commandos and sniffer dogs to locate the militants.

Indian military officials believed a group comprising of three militants are present in the area.

"All escape routes in the forest area have been sealed to prevent escape of militants," police officials said. "Reinforcements have been dispatched in full strength to the area."

Indian military officials said the militants have infiltrated from other side of LoC on September 31.

LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts.

New Delhi accuses Islamabad of sending armed militants to Indian-controlled Kashmir. However, Islamabad says it only provides moral and political support to Kashmiris.

A guerilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989. Gunfights between the two sides take place intermittently across the region.

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. Endit