Written By Lisa Murimi
At least four soldiers have been killed in a gunfight with suspected militants in Indian-administered Kashmir, marking the latest in a series of attacks by armed insurgents in the disputed region.
The security forces came under fire on Monday night during a search operation in the forests of Doda district in Jammu.
Last week, five soldiers were killed when their vehicle was ambushed in another part of the region, which has been a contentious area between India and Pakistan.
An armed insurgency against Indian rule has claimed thousands of lives in Kashmir since 1989, although violence has decreased in recent years.
However, the relatively peaceful Jammu region has seen increasing bloodshed in recent months, with at least eight attacks reported since June.
Last month, nine people died and 33 were injured after suspected militants fired on a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims in the region. On July 8, five soldiers were killed in an ambush in Kathua district.
Monday night’s gunfight began when militants allegedly hiding in the forests opened fire. According to reports, the Indian army stated that its forces came under fire while conducting a search based on intelligence inputs.
Five soldiers were critically injured in the exchange, with four succumbing to their injuries later.
Reinforcements have been deployed to the area to prevent the attackers from fleeing, officials say. The Himalayan region of Kashmir has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan for decades.
Delhi accuses Islamabad of harboring militants and disrupting peace in the region, a charge Pakistan denies.
