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Indian army announces halt to offensives against Kashmir militants |
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July 29, 2000
SRINAGAR, India (AP) - The Indian army has suspended all offensive operations against Islamic militants in Kashmir for the first time in 11 years in response to a cease-fire by one of the main guerrilla groups, the top general in the region said Friday. "We have stopped operations against the mujahedeen locally," Maj. Gen. Basant Singh told The Associated Press. He said his troops had not carried out a single operation against Islamic separatist militants since Tuesday. "There will be no deliberate attempt against the militants on our part," Singh said. "We have issued instructions to all our field commanders to stop these offensive operations." Singh said the decision was made in response to a three-month cease-fire announced last week by the Hezb-ul Mujahedeen. "It is very difficult to identify which militant is of Hezb-ul Mujahedeen or other outfits," Singh said, explaining the blanket halt on offensives. However, he made it clear the army would respond if attacked. Earlier Friday, suspected militants hurled grenades at a police patrol in Garida Bazaar in downtown Srinagar, killing one reserve policeman and injuring two. In addition to the army, the Kashmir police, the paramilitary Border Security Force and groups of former militants who have changed sides operate in Kashmir. Also, senior Indian military officers say, an estimated 3,500 militants were inside Kashmir as of March and an additional 5,000 were trained and ready to cross the border from camps in Pakistan. Indian officers had anticipated an increase in fighting this summer. But instead, there have been a series of dramatic developments. The government released from custody several leaders of separatist organizations and said it was willing to open talks with them on ending the violence that has killed 16,000 people since an Islamic insurgency began in 1989. Last week, the Hezb-ul Mujahedeen, which had threatened in May to send suicide bombers against military camps in Kashmir, suddenly announced a three-month unilateral cease-fire. Singh said he believed the cease-fire call meant militants were bowing to the desires of the Kashmiri people for peace. "The militants cannot survive without the support of the locals and soon as the locals desire peace, the militants have to accept reality," Singh said. Several groups, based in Kashmir and Pakistan, have been waging a year guerrilla war in Jammu-Kashmir - the only Muslim majority state in India - demanding independence or union with Islamic Pakistan. Other militant groups condemned the cease-fire announcement of the Hezb-ul Mujahedeen for its cease-fire announcement. Also, the All Party Hurriyat Conference, an umbrella group of separatist organizations in Kashmir, said this week the cease-fire was "hasty." Hurriyat and other groups have insisted that there should be no independent talks without Pakistan. The former princely state of Kashmir is divided between Pakistan and India and has been the cause of two wars between the uneasy neighbors since the subcontinent gained its independence from Britain in 1947. Both countries lay claim to the entire region. India accuses Pakistan of supporting the militant groups who cross the border or the Line of Control that divides Kashmir to set off bombs and attack security forces. Pakistan says it supports the cause of the militants but denies it gives them cash, arms or training, as India alleges. Pakistan's military ruler, Gen. Pervez Musharraf has offered repeatedly to open talks with India on the Kashmir dispute. But the government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee blames Musharraf for the border battle in Kashmir a year ago that cost the lives of more than 500 Indian soldiers. Indian leaders have said they will not talk to Musharraf and will not talk to Pakistan about Kashmir. |