Five Indian soldiers killed in Kashmir explosion
Source: Reuters
SRINAGAR, India, July 19 (Reuters) - At least five Indian soldiers were killed and over 20 wounded on Saturday when their vehicle ran over a landmine near Kashmir's main city, police and witnesses said. They said the army bus was badly damaged in what was the biggest attack on Indian soldiers in recent months. No militant group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack which came ahead of Monday's new round of India-Pakistan peace talks that Kashmiri separatist militants oppose. "The powerful explosion shook the whole area, many injured were screaming for help," said witness Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhat. Violence involving Indian troops and separatist militants has declined since a peace process began in 2004 between India and Pakistan, who claim Kashmir in full but rule it in part and have fought two wars over the Himalayan region. But people are still killed in daily shootouts and occasional bomb attacks. On Friday more than 30 people, including 10 children, were wounded when suspected separatist militants lobbed a grenade near a crowded bus stop in south Kashmir. Officials say more than 43,000 people have been killed since a revolt against New Delhi's rule broke out in 1989. Human rights groups put the toll at about 60,000 dead or missing. (Reporting by Sheikh Mushtaq, Editing by Krittivas Mukherjee) (For the latest Reuters news on India see: http://in.reuters.com for blogs see: http://blogs.reuters.com/in/)
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