A gunfight with suspected fighters left two Indian soldiers dead and two others injured in India-occupied Kashmir (IoK), days before local elections in the disputed Himalayan region.
IoK has seen a rise in clashes between fighters and security forces ahead of the first local assembly polls in the region for a decade.
The Indian army said the firefight took place on Friday in Kishtwar district, paying tribute to the “supreme sacrifice of the bravehearts” in a post on social media platform X.
The territory has been without an elected local government since 2019, when its partial autonomy was cancelled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
A total of 8.7 million people will be eligible to vote for the region’s assembly when the election begins on September 18, with results expected in October.
Ahead of the vote, Modi is expected to address rallies for his Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the southern Jammu portion of the territory, which has a sizeable Hindu population.
In the past two years, more than 50 soldiers were killed in clashes, mostly in Jammu.
New Delhi accuses Pakistan of backing the region’s fighters and cross-border attacks inside its territory — claims Islamabad denies.
Indian army personnel identified as Havildar Saty Singh Bisht belonging to the Chinar corps was killed by unknown militants during operational duties in Tangdhar, Kupwara District, J&K.
On the fifth anniversary of India's actions on August 5, 2019, in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Pakistan observes 'Youm-e-Istehsal' (Day of Exploitation).
Ahead of 'Youm-e-Istehsal', the foreign secretary briefed diplomats in Islamabad on the situation in IIOJK. A solidarity walk was held in Islamabad, with various activities organized nationwide and globally to raise awareness about the plight of the Kashmiri people.
Youm_E_Istehsal
Occupied Kashmir: An Indian army captain was killed in an encounter between the Kashmiri freedom fighters and the Indian occupying forces in Akar Doda forest.Captain Deepak was successfully neutralized (48 Rashtriya Rifles).