Gunfight leaves 4 Indian soldiers dead in Kashmir

Four Indian soldiers, including a major, were killed in an overnight gunfight with militants in Jammu and Kashmir, Anadolu Ajansı reported quoting a police official on Tuesday (July 16).

The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the incident occurred in the mountainous Doda area of Jammu province, which has witnessed several major attacks on Indian soldiers in recent months. Another soldier was injured in the encounter.

In a statement on Twitter, the Indian army confirmed that an operation was launched in northern Doda. “Contact with terrorists was established around 9 p.m. (1530GMT), and a heavy firefight ensued. Initial reports injuries to our brave hearts. Additional troops have been moved into the area,” the statement read.

Another significant attack took place on July 9, when five soldiers, including a junior commissioned officer, were killed in the Kathua area of the province.

A month earlier, on June 9, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office for a third term, suspected militants attacked a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims in Reasi, Jammu province. The driver lost control of the vehicle, plunging into a gorge and resulting in the deaths of nine people and injuries to 30 others.

According to Excelsior, a leading newspaper from the Jammu region, 43 Indian soldiers have been killed between October 21 and July 8. While the Kashmir region has been the epicenter of a 34-year-long anti-India insurgency, Jammu was relatively calmer until recent events.

The situation has escalated since August 5, 2019, when the Indian government, led by Hindu nationalists, revoked the political autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir, leading to an increase in militancy in the Jammu region.