Indian forces Saturday killed six more youths in the occupied valley during a brief firefight, sparking clashes between protestors and police.
All six Kashmiris belonged to Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, a small Kashmiri group whose now only surviving member is its chief Zakir Musa, top police officer Munir Khan said. Soldiers zeroed in an orchard during searches in southern Tral area and fired warning shots, triggering a brief firefight that left the six youths dead, inspector general of police Swayam Prakash Pani said.
Eye witnesses said hundreds of locals came out on the streets and clashed with police, who had to fire tear gas to disperse them, after encounter with the Kashmiris. Authorities also suspended mobile internet and train services in the Kashmir valley to prevent a large gathering of protestors.
This has been the deadliest year in a decade in Kashmir, with more than 550 people including 150 civilians killed, according to a monitoring group.
Saturday’s clash came a day after two Indian soldiers were killed by alleged sniper fire from the Pakistani side of the Line of Control.
Pakistan has strongly condemned the continuing brutal massacre of innocent Kashmiris by India. In a tweet, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Faisal said besides killings, suspension of internet and train services continues as part of oppressive Indian regime in the occupied valley. He called upon the UN secretary general and world human rights champions to prevail upon India to halt the bloodshed in the held area.
Published in Daily Times, December 23rd 2018.
