8 slain Kashmir infiltrators were Pakistanis: Indian army
Afp, Srinagar
Eight suspected militants killed in a clash with Indian troops were Pakistani nationals who were "major leaders" of a powerful rebel group, the army said yesterday. The eight were killed as they tried to sneak into Indian Kashmir from the Pakistani side of the region across a heavily militarised ceasefire line. India, which accuses Pakistan of arming, training and pushing across rebels into Indian Kashmir, said it was the biggest single attempt by militants to penetrate the Indian zone this year. "This group had major leaders of Lashkar-e-Toiba who were tasked to provide leadership to the terrorists in the (Kashmir) valley and coordinate their operations," an army statement said. Indian officials routinely refer to Kashmiri rebels fighting New Delhi's rule in the insurgency-racked Himalayan region as "terrorists."
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