MUMBAI, India: Clashes between security forces and militants in Indian-administered Kashmir killed three suspected rebel fighters on Sunday, the Indian army said, the second such incident in the disputed territory this month.
An army statement said three militants were killed during a miliary operation in the high-altitude Kishtwar district after it received “credible” intelligence of a rebel presence in the area.
The army added that security forces had recovered weapons from the site.
Earlier this month, three militants were killed in another army operation in India-administered Kashmir.
Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947, and both claim the territory in full.
Rebel groups have waged an insurgency against Indian rule since 1989, demanding Kashmir’s independence or its merger with Pakistan.
India blames Pakistan for arming and training militant groups in Kashmir, allegations Islamabad denies.
The conflict has left tens of thousands dead, mostly civilians, and has at times spiralled into armed clashes between India and Pakistan.
A militant attack last year that killed 26 mainly Hindu civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir triggered a deadly four-day conflict and the exchange of missiles, drones and artillery fire between the neighboring countries.
India’s government blamed Pakistan for being behind the attack, which Islamabad repeatedly denied.