Porpoise101
September 18th, 2016, 06:46 PM
"MUMBAI, India-In the deadliest attack against Indian forces in more than a decade, militants sneaked into an army encampment in the disputed territory of Kashmir early Sunday and opened fire on sleeping soldiers, killing at least 17 and wounding dozens.
The four assailants, who also threw grenades that caused tents and temporary shelters to catch fire at the army brigade headquarters at Uri, were killed in a gun battle with security forces that lasted six hours, authorities said.
Indian officials blamed the Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed for the attack, saying it had recovered weapons from the assailants that carried Pakistani markings. Lt. Gen. Ranbir Singh, the director of military operations, said he contacted his Pakistani counterpart to convey “serious concerns.”
Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh was more pointed, saying on Twitter: “Pakistan is a terrorist state, and it should be identified and isolated as such.”
Pakistan denied involvement in the attack, which came amid escalating violence in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir.
Since Indian security forces killed Burhan Wani, a young Kashmiri militant, on July 8, the Himalayan territory — which both countries claim in its entirety — has erupted in protests. More than 80 civilians have been killed in clashes with Indian forces and hundreds more have been grievously wounded with pellet guns.
Ahead of this week’s United Nations General Assembly meeting, the countries have traded accusations, with Pakistan criticizing India for using excessive force in the majority-Muslim territory. The U.N. human rights chief last week requested permission to visit Kashmir to probe the allegations, but India denied the request.
India has stepped up allegations that Pakistan supports terrorism, and it vowed on Sunday to respond to the attack.
“We strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Uri,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. “I assure the nation that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished.”
...
India and Pakistan — nuclear-armed rivals that have fought three wars over Kashmir since 1947 — have seen relations plummet to their lowest point in years. Just last Christmas, Modi visited Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at his home in Pakistan in what was seen as a confidence-building move ahead of negotiations between the country’s top diplomats.
Those hopes were shattered days later, following a raid by militants against a high-security Indian air base in Pathankot, in Punjab state, in which seven soldiers were killed. Indian officials blamed Jaish-e-Mohammed, but Pakistan said it found no evidence the group was involved.
Since then, six minor cross-border attacks have occurred inside India, showing serious lapses in Indian security, said Sibal.
“This camp is in a very exposed area, a vulnerable area,” he said. “And that this has happened is inexcusable.” "
Story at the LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-india-kashmir-20160918-snap-story.html)
This is pretty terrible. I would have to say that it's very complicated. Personally, I wish the whole Kashmir issue was done and settled. Give Ladakh and Jammu to India and give the rest to Pakistan. Of course, it would be even better if there was no partition at all. Because of this situation, there have been terrible human rights violations on both sides and it is essentially a fortress on both sides of the border. The harsh suppression policy that India is doing right now is not going to work though. I believe it will just aggrivate tensions with the local people and continue to radicalize them. India can't really support foreign separatists like the Pakistanis do. The only separatists Pakistan has are Balochis and Pashtun, and supporting them has real consequences. I'd have to say that the Pakistanis are the ones who really started the problem, with the Indians making it worse.
The four assailants, who also threw grenades that caused tents and temporary shelters to catch fire at the army brigade headquarters at Uri, were killed in a gun battle with security forces that lasted six hours, authorities said.
Indian officials blamed the Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed for the attack, saying it had recovered weapons from the assailants that carried Pakistani markings. Lt. Gen. Ranbir Singh, the director of military operations, said he contacted his Pakistani counterpart to convey “serious concerns.”
Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh was more pointed, saying on Twitter: “Pakistan is a terrorist state, and it should be identified and isolated as such.”
Pakistan denied involvement in the attack, which came amid escalating violence in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir.
Since Indian security forces killed Burhan Wani, a young Kashmiri militant, on July 8, the Himalayan territory — which both countries claim in its entirety — has erupted in protests. More than 80 civilians have been killed in clashes with Indian forces and hundreds more have been grievously wounded with pellet guns.
Ahead of this week’s United Nations General Assembly meeting, the countries have traded accusations, with Pakistan criticizing India for using excessive force in the majority-Muslim territory. The U.N. human rights chief last week requested permission to visit Kashmir to probe the allegations, but India denied the request.
India has stepped up allegations that Pakistan supports terrorism, and it vowed on Sunday to respond to the attack.
“We strongly condemn the cowardly terror attack in Uri,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. “I assure the nation that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished.”
...
India and Pakistan — nuclear-armed rivals that have fought three wars over Kashmir since 1947 — have seen relations plummet to their lowest point in years. Just last Christmas, Modi visited Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at his home in Pakistan in what was seen as a confidence-building move ahead of negotiations between the country’s top diplomats.
Those hopes were shattered days later, following a raid by militants against a high-security Indian air base in Pathankot, in Punjab state, in which seven soldiers were killed. Indian officials blamed Jaish-e-Mohammed, but Pakistan said it found no evidence the group was involved.
Since then, six minor cross-border attacks have occurred inside India, showing serious lapses in Indian security, said Sibal.
“This camp is in a very exposed area, a vulnerable area,” he said. “And that this has happened is inexcusable.” "
Story at the LA Times (http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-india-kashmir-20160918-snap-story.html)
This is pretty terrible. I would have to say that it's very complicated. Personally, I wish the whole Kashmir issue was done and settled. Give Ladakh and Jammu to India and give the rest to Pakistan. Of course, it would be even better if there was no partition at all. Because of this situation, there have been terrible human rights violations on both sides and it is essentially a fortress on both sides of the border. The harsh suppression policy that India is doing right now is not going to work though. I believe it will just aggrivate tensions with the local people and continue to radicalize them. India can't really support foreign separatists like the Pakistanis do. The only separatists Pakistan has are Balochis and Pashtun, and supporting them has real consequences. I'd have to say that the Pakistanis are the ones who really started the problem, with the Indians making it worse.