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August 6th, 2013 
Peter Nolan
Updated
Five Indian soldiers have been killed in an attack along the disputed border between India and Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Indian military has accused the Pakistani army of involvement in the incident, saying the Indian soldiers were ambushed by Pakistani troops who had crossed the border.
The Pakistan army denies involvement in the attack against the Indian soldiers.
The attack took place 200 kilometres south of the state capital, Srinagar, just days after a proposal from Pakistan to resume peace talks with India.
India’s defence minister A. K. Antony says the Indian government has lodged a strong protest with the government of Pakistan through diplomatic channels.
“The attack was carried out by 20 heavily-armed terrorists, along with persons in Pakistani army uniform,” Mr Antony said.
“We strongly condemn this unprovoked incident.”
The state’s chief minister, Omar Abdullah, says the attack will only worsen India-Pakistan ties.
“These incidents don’t help efforts to normalise or even improve relations with Pak & call in to question the Pak Govt’s recent overtures,” Mr Abdullah said in a tweet.
The Himalayan territory of Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan by a UN-monitored de facto border known as the Line of Control (LOC), but is claimed in full by both countries.
More than a dozen armed rebel groups have been fighting Indian forces since 1989 demanding independence for Kashmir or a merger with Pakistan.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars since their independence from Britain in 1947, two of them over Kashmir.
AFP
Topics:
unrest-conflict-and-war,
community-and-society,
government-and-politics,
world-politics,
law-crime-and-justice,
india,
pakistan,
asia
First posted
Source Article from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-06/5-indian-soldiers-killed/4869252
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