INDIA: An Indian soldier and three suspected rebels died in a shoot-out along the de facto border that divides disputed Kashmir with Pakistan early Thursday, the army said.
Soldiers deployed along the heavily militarised frontier known as the Line of Control (LOC) shot and killed the three suspected rebels when they tried to cross into Indian-administered Kashmir from the Pakistan side.
One soldier also died in the exchange of fire, the army said in a statement.
The deaths came a day after Indian soldiers killed three combatants as they tried to cross into the territory.
India regularly accuses Pakistan of arming militants and pushing them across the LoC to launch attacks on its forces.
Islamabad denies the allegation, saying it only provides diplomatic support to Kashmiris seeking self-determination.
Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in its entirety.
Rebel groups have for decades been fighting the around 500,000 Indian soldiers deployed in the territory, demanding independence from India or a merger of the Himalayan region with Pakistan.
Armed encounters between rebels fighting against Indian rule of Kashmir and soldiers have become more frequent since last July when security forces killed a popular rebel commander.
Officials say dozens of youths have joined the ranks of the rebels, who enjoy renewed public support.
Indian soldier, three rebels die in Kashmir shoot-out
Indian soldier, three rebels die in Kashmir shoot-out
Ukraine’s Zelensky: We have backed US peace proposals to get a deal done
- “The tactic we chose is for the Americans not to think that we want to continue the war,” Zelensky told The Atlantic
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv had sought to back US peace proposals to end the war with Russia as President Donald Trump seeks to resolve the conflict before November mid-term elections.
Zelensky, in an interview published by The Atlantic on Thursday, said Kyiv was willing to hold both a presidential election and a referendum on a deal, but would not settle for an accord that was detrimental to Ukraine’s interests.
“The tactic we chose is for the Americans not to think that we want to continue the war,” Zelensky told the US-based publication. “That’s why we started supporting their proposals in any format that speeds things along.”
He said Ukraine was “not afraid of anything. Are we ready for elections? We’re ready. Are we ready for a referendum? We’re ready.”
Zelensky has sought to build good relations with Washington since an Oval Office meeting in February 2025 descended into a shouting match with Trump and US Vice President JD Vance.
But he said he had rejected a proposal, reported this week by the Financial Times, to announce the votes on February 24, the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion. A ceasefire and proposed US security guarantees against a future invasion had not yet been settled, he said.
“No one is clinging to power,” The Atlantic quoted him as saying. “I am ready for elections. But for that we need security, guarantees of security, a ceasefire.”
And he added: “I don’t think we should put a bad deal up for a referendum.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Zelensky is not a legitimate negotiating partner because he has not faced election since coming to power in 2019.
Zelensky has said in recent weeks that a document on security guarantees for Ukraine is all but ready to be signed.
But, in his remarks, he acknowledged that details remained unresolved, including whether the US would be willing to shoot down incoming missiles over Ukraine if Russia were to violate the peace.
“This hasn’t been fixed yet,” Zelensky said. “We have raised it, and we will continue to raise these questions...We need all of this to be written out.”
