Crossfire War – Islamic Suicide Squad Attacks Indian Security Base in Srinagar

Crossfire War – TEHRAN WATCH – South Asia Theatre: Tehran – Islamabad/Srinagar – Delhi; Islamic Suicide Squad Attacks Indian Security Camp in Central Srinagar – Demonstrations – Unrest All Over Province

Night Watch: SRINAGAR – Reuters reports that members of an Islamic suicide squad attacked an Indian security camp in central Srinagar. A spokesman for the Islamic militant-liberation unit Al-Mansurian spoke over the telephone, “Three members of our suicide squad have attacked a security camp. They are still alive.” So far the action has killed three Indian policemen and wounded eight others. The attack began at about 11:30 am. The militants reportedly first hurled a grenade then entered a hotel across the street and began firing at the camp. [SWISSINFO]

The base is used by India’s Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and there are reports that some of the Islamic suicide unit first infiltrated the camp then started firing. The base is located next to the Akhara building near the Lal Chowk market area. Hundreds of people panicked and fled the area when the fighting began. Srinagar is just 50 miles east of the Line of Control (LoC), established by Islamabad/Delhi in 1972, one year after their last major war, as a military demarcation between both countries. It is across this line that Islamic militants have increased their attacks since November 1989. [KASHMIROBSERVER]

In the meantime demonstrations are continuing almost on a daily basis all over the disputed territory since last week when a Delhi court set October 20 as the execution date of a Kashmiri leader who took part in the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001. But new demonstrations broke out today just 40 miles south of Srinagar in Anantnag after Indian troops ambushed a Kashmir family at 1:00 am as they returned from their maize fields. Two people were killed and two wounded. India’s occupation army is investigating the incident. I suspect this is just a small indication of the extent of the growing hatred between Hindus and Muslims. Five months ago more than 30 Hindus were massacred supposedly by Islamic militants.

Also in Kashmir there was another heavy firefight between Islamic militants and Indian troops near the well known health resort of Pahalgam.

In the meantime Islamabad is saying they are still waiting for Delhi to present its evidence that the militants that set off the bombs on the Mumbai trains on July 11 were supported directly by Pakistan.

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Willard Payne is an international affairs analyst who specializes in International Relations. A graduate of Western Illinois University with a concentration in East-West Trade and East-West Industrial Cooperation, he has been providing incisive analysis to NewsBlaze. He is the author of Imagery: The Day Before.