Update - Four Militants Among Seven Killed İn Kashmir Gunbattle

Seven people, including four militants, two Indian soldiers and a civilian were killed in a gunbattle in the restive Indian-held Kashmir valley, an army spokesperson said Thursday.



The gunfight began Wednesday night and ended at around Thursday noon in Jammu region's Arnia sector on the border that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.



The Indian Army alleged the militants had crossed over from the Pakistani side of the valley. The slain militants had allegedly entered an abandoned bunker of the Indian Army.



Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, noted the conspicuous timing of the gunbattle, which took place when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attended the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in Nepal.



"The timing of the attack in Arnia can't be a coincidence. My condolences to the family of the army officer killed in Arnia," Abdullah tweeted.



Also, the incident took place just a day before Modi is expected to address an election rally in Jammu's Udhampur area.



"We have cordoned off the entire area and are carrying out search operations for any more infiltrators," the spokesperson added.



Many civilians were killed and dozens others were injured recently when Indian and Pakistani soldiers carried out cross border shelling along the border.



Kashmir, a Muslim-majority Himalayan region, is held by India and Pakistan in parts and is claimed by both sides in full.



The two countries have fought three wars – in 1948, 1965 and 1971 – since they were partitioned in 1947, two of which were fought over Kashmir.



Since 1989, Kashmiri resistance groups in Indian-held Kashmir have been fighting against Indian rule for independence, or for unification with neighboring Pakistan.



More than 70,000 people have reportedly been killed in the conflict so far.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Ankara