Indian soldiers say they have foiled an attack on an army base in India-administered Kashmir. Indian authorities say three armed militants wearing fatigues were killed trying to penetrate the army camp's perimeter.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/T. Mustafa
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Indian troops killed suspected militants who attacked an army camp Thursday in northern Kashmir state, the military said. "Three terrorists were killed in the operation and three AK rifles (were) also recovered from the site," army spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia told the AFP news agency. The clash reportedly lasted about a quarter of an hour.
The attempted strike was the second in Indian-administered Kashmir this week after militants killed a soldier while trying to raid a base in Baramulla town on Sunday.
Tensions have spiked since New Delhi said last week it had launched "surgical strikes" on militant posts across the disputed border that divides the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan. India is still reeling from last month's cross-border attack that killed 19 of its soldiers.
The protests, and a sweeping military crackdown, have all but paralyzed life in Indian-controlled Kashmir. More than 80 people have been killed, and thousands injured, as residents continue to defy curfews and demonstrate in towns and villages across the Muslim-majority state.
A militant uprising and the subsequent Indian military crackdown since 1989 has killed more than 68,000 people. India accuses Pakistan of harboring and equipping rebels on its territory and helping them infiltrate into the Indian side.
Islamabad denies the charge, saying it gives only political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris. Both countries claim all of the divided Himalayan region. Yet many Kashmiris advocate for full independence from both states.
jar/kl (AFP, Reuters)
The real Kashmir
Poets call it one of the most beautiful places on earth. Analysts consider it to be one of the most dangerous areas in the world. But what is Kashmir in reality?
Image: M.Davari
Multicultural
Kashmir has been well-known for its cultural and linguistic diversity. The Kashmir Valley has a Muslim majority. Hindus are predominant in Jammu while Ladakh is primarily Buddhist. But interminable violence has damaged the very fabric of society.
Image: picture-alliance/Arcaid
Saffron
Kashmir is also famous for its saffron. India is the third largest exporter of saffron following Iran and Spain.
Image: imago/Xinhua
'Switzerland of the East'
Kashmir boasts some of the world's most beautiful flowering meadows and snow-capped peaks. Many people call it "The Switzerland of the East." Almost 1.1 million tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir in 2014.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Snow-white Kashmir
Kashmir wears pure white in winter. Many areas are perfect for winter sports but lack infrastructure. Islamist violence remains the biggest challenge.
Image: UNI
Rivers
The Himalayan part of Kashmir is the source of fresh water for more than 20 rivers, among which the Indus, Neelum and Ravi are the biggest. All these rivers flow from India into Pakistan.
Image: UNI
Wood
Kashmir is also famous for its wood, the Kashmir willow. Experts believe that it is the best wood for making a cricket bat. Kashmiri wood is also used for building boats.
Image: picture alliance/NurPhoto/Y. Nazir
Sufism
Sufism, the mystical dimension of Islam, reached Kashmir in the 16th century. Sufi tradition is associated with religious harmony. Many of the saints held dear by Kashmiris were Sufi monks. Sufi singers such as Abida Parveen are popular to this day.
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Kashmir on the silver screen
Kashmir used to be the most popular location of the Indian film industry during the 1980s. It was a golden era for Kashmir. However, the valley has been witnessing violence on an almost daily basis ever since. Nowadays, only one or two films are shot on location in Kashmir every year.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Fighting in the clouds
The Kashmir conflict between India and Pakistan has been going on 1948, and experts see little hope of a solution in the foreseeable future. Both countries spend lots of resources on their half of the divided territory, with their respective armies squared off on what some view as the highest battlefield in the world, the Siachen glacier (5,753m).
