INDIA: Tensions escalated in northern India's war-torn Kashmir region after 13 people, including a suicide militant, died when Muslim insurgents launched a wave of strikes on the security forces yesterday in revenge for the killing of one of their commanders, writes Rahul Bedi, New Delhi
Indian security officials blamed the attacks on Pakistan-backed insurgents. They said militants from the Lashkar-e-Taiba (Army of the Pure) had joined forces with the Jaish-e-Mohammad (Army of Mohammad), whose leader, Gazi Baba, was killed in a clash with India's paramilitary at the weekend.
"We do believe that the two outfits have joined hands and are working together and targeting various important targets," said Mr Vijay Raman, inspector general of the paramilitary Border Security Force that killed Baba.
Baba was on India's list of "most wanted" rebels, for organising the attack by five suicide gunmen from the two militant groups on Delhi's parliament in Delhi in December 2001, in which 15 people, including the attackers, died. "The Jaish-e-Mohammad desperately wants to signal its cadres and Kashmiris that Baba's death does not mean its striking ability has been diminished. So more attacks with heightened intensity and increased frequency can be anticipated," said the inspector general of police, Mr P.L. Gupta.
The violence across Kashmir since Sunday, in which 33 people were killed despite heightened security, follows warnings by intelligence agencies of imminent attacks by the Pakistan-backed militant groups. It has also jeopardised the tentative peace process between the rival nuclear neighbours who came close to war last year.
Senior Indian leaders have declared that negotiating with Pakistan was futile while it continued to fuel Kashmir's 14-year civil war that has claimed nearly 40,000 lives. Islamabad is ambivalent about Indian allegations, but generally tends to dismiss them as "baseless".
Meanwhile, Kashmiri insurgents fighting for an independent Muslim homeland in the Himalayan region ambushed an army convoy at Chursoo, 35km south of the state's summer capital, Srinagar, killing one civilian and injuring 21 others, including six soldiers.
Militants also blew up a small bridge in Anantnag district nearby, halting all movement for nearly three hours till army and civil engineers repaired the damage.
Hizbul Mujahideen (Islamic freedom fighters), one of Kashmir's dominant rebel groups, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Security has been increased in Srinagar while India's army chief visits Kashmir today to review the deteriorating situation.