1st Ld Writethru: Indian trooper wounded in attack on military camp in Indian-controlled Kashmir

An Indian trooper was wounded Wednesday after militants believed to be three in number stormed an Indian military camp in Indian-controlled Kashmir near Line of Control (LoC), officials said.

The attack was carried out in the morning at Tangdhar area of frontier Kupwara district, about 155 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Today in the morning heavily armed militants attacked our camp with gunfire and grenade launchers at Tangdhar," Col N N Joshi, Indian military spokesman told Xinhua. "The grenades hit oil store inside the camp which caused fire. One of our soldiers was wounded in the gunfight."

Reports pouring in from the area said militants were trying to enter the camp, but the effort was repulsed by troopers.

However according to Joshi, the militants were firing from a distance.

Intermittent firing is going on between militants and military in the area, Joshi said.

Police officials said sound of blasts and gunfire can be heard from a distance. According to police sources some vehicles parked near oil depot and an adjacent barrack also caught fire in the attack.

The military and police has rushed in reinforcements to take on the militants in area.

Wednesday's attack comes in the backdrop of a a prolonged gunfight and search operation in Manigah forests of the district, which so far has left a military officer dead and a few others wounded. A militant was also killed in the stand-off.

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 said 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 takes 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