1 Indian soldier killed, 2 injured in Kashmir rebel attack

SRINAGAR, India – A paramilitary soldier was killed and two others wounded Tuesday in an attack by rebels fighting Indian rule in disputed Kashmir, officials said.

Militants on a motorbike sprayed gunfire at a group of soldiers in Srinagar, the region’s main city, said Indian paramilitary spokesman Sanjay Sharma. He said police and soldiers cordoned off the area in an attempt to nab the attackers.

No rebel group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim it in its entirety. Rebels have been fighting Indian control since 1989, demanding that the territory be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country.

Most Kashmiris support the rebels’ cause while also participating in civilian street protests against Indian control.

India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, a charge Pakistan denies.

Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.