Pro-Pak militants abduct 15 pro-India militants; 3 dead

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

In a setback to anti-insurgency operations in north Kashmir, a group of heavily armed pro-Pakistan militants abducted 15 pro-India militants after they attacked their hideout at Yamrach Zachaldara village near Handwara in the border district of Kupwara early on Monday morning.

The police has so far recovered the bodies of three men who were killed by the pro-Pakistan militants after their abduction. Nothing is known about the fate of the 12 other pro-India militants as they are called locally.

Security forces in the area have mounted a massive search operation to trace the counter-insurgents. Senior security personnel have rushed to the spot, sources said.

After the October assembly election, the Pro-Pakistan militants, backed by foreign nationals, have intensified their war on pro-government militants like the Ikhwan organisation. Many pro-India militants have been killed during the past months. Kuka Parrey, the former commander of the Ikhwan-ul Muslimeen and chairman of the Awami League, claims that so far 500 pro-India militants have been killed so far by the pro-Pakistan militants.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, accompanied by state Director General of Police Jagat Gurbachan, flew to Kargil in Ladakh to take stock of the situation following last week's intense shelling on the border town by Pakistani troops. Hundreds of families had migrated from Kargil to safer locations. People have now begun returning to their homes.