An occupation Indian army officer and a dozen freedom fighters among 15 people killed in a gun battle raging near the Line of Control (LoC), the army said on Saturday. The clash, one of the deadliest in recent months, broke out on Friday morning at Machil near the Line of Control. The dead included a colonel and two soldiers.
"We are suspecting some more 'militants' are hiding in the area, the operation still continues," occupation Indian army spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel A.K. Mathur said. Friday's gun battle took place on a day when hundreds of thousands of Muslims marched peacefully in Srinagar, in some of the biggest anti-India protests since the outbreak of the freedom struggle. On Saturday shops, businesses and schools remained closed in the region the Kashmiris leaders called a three-day protest strike.
"The strike is part of continuing protests against India's rule in Kashmir," said All Parties Huurriyet Conference (APHC) leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. "It is also to demand our right to self-determination through a referendum," he said. The strike is set to continue until Monday.
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