At least 7 civilians killed in fighting and protests in India-held Kashmir

Published April 11, 2018
Indian security personnel detain a Kashmiri man during protests by students in Srinagar. —AFP
Indian security personnel detain a Kashmiri man during protests by students in Srinagar. —AFP

At least seven Kashmiri people were killed in fighting in India-held Kashmir on Wednesday that sparked angry retaliatory protests and violent street clashes across the restive Himalayan region.

Kashmir — divided between India and Pakistan but claimed in its entirety by both — has witnessed a surge in violence with more than 100 people killed since the start of the year.

In the latest shootout, Indian forces killed four Kashmiris in Kulgam district in southern Kashmir, police said.

Hundreds of civilians marched on the village, chanting anti-India slogans and throwing stones at government forces who responded with live rounds, pellets and tear gas.

“Two civilians died when they came close to the encounter site,” local police chief Shesh Paul Vaid told AFP. A soldier who was wounded during the fighting died later in a military hospital, Vaid said.

Villagers mourn near the body of slain Kashmiri youth Sharjeel Ahmed. —AFP
Villagers mourn near the body of slain Kashmiri youth Sharjeel Ahmed. —AFP

The violence comes shortly after 20 people — including four civilians — were killed on a single day earlier this month.

Separatist rebels in Indian Kashmir have been fighting security forces for decades for independence or for a merger with Pakistan. Tens of thousands, mostly civilians, have died.

On Wednesday, students protested against Indian rule at Srinagar's largest university, while shops were closed in the city.

Tensions were particularly high before Wednesday's violence: two police officers were implicated this week in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl whose body was found in January.

Last year was the deadliest of this decade in the region, with more than 200 alleged militants killed in a counter-insurgency offensive dubbed “Operation All Out”.

Opinion

Editorial

Kurram ceasefire
Updated 26 Nov, 2024

Kurram ceasefire

DESPITE efforts by the KP government to bring about a ceasefire in Kurram tribal district, the bloodletting has...
Hollow victory
26 Nov, 2024

Hollow victory

THE conclusion of COP29 in Baku has left developing nations — struggling with the mounting costs of climate...
Infrastructure schemes
26 Nov, 2024

Infrastructure schemes

THE government’s decision to finance priority PSDP schemes on a three-year rolling basis is a significant step...
Anti-women state
Updated 25 Nov, 2024

Anti-women state

GLOBALLY, women are tormented by the worst tools of exploitation: rape, sexual abuse, GBV, IPV, and more are among...
IT sector concerns
25 Nov, 2024

IT sector concerns

PRIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s ambitious plan to increase Pakistan’s IT exports from $3.2bn to $25bn in the ...
Israel’s war crimes
25 Nov, 2024

Israel’s war crimes

WHILE some powerful states are shielding Israel from censure, the court of global opinion is quite clear: there is...