Four police officers and two suspected rebels were killed in a prolonged firefight in Indian-administered Kashmir, security forces confirmed. Several other police officers sustained injuries during the clash.
The Indian army’s Rising Star Corps stated on social media Saturday that “relentless operations” had led to the “elimination of two terrorists,” a term used for rebels opposing Indian rule in Kashmir.
The confrontation began on Thursday in the rugged forests of Kathua, in the southern part of the disputed region, when a police foot patrol searching for militants was ambushed. The attack left four officers dead, police chief Nalin Prabhat told reporters late on Friday.
Kashmir, a Muslim-majority region, has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947, with both nations claiming the territory in full.
Prabhat alleged that the slain militants were from Pakistan and had previously escaped a security forces’ cordon four days earlier. However, he did not provide further details about their identities.
“We will not sleep till we stop such activities of our neighbour,” Prabhat said, referring to Pakistan.
India frequently accuses Pakistan of aiding rebels in crossing the heavily militarised border in Kashmir to carry out attacks on Indian forces. Islamabad denies these allegations, asserting that it only supports Kashmir’s right to self-determination.
India maintains approximately half a million soldiers in the region, where armed groups have been fighting for decades for either independence or a merger with Pakistan.
Hostilities had reduced since 2019, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government revoked the region’s partial autonomy and imposed direct rule from New Delhi. However, violence escalated last year, prompting the deployment of thousands of additional troops, including special forces, following a series of deadly attacks that resulted in more than 50 Indian soldier deaths over three years.
