Indian army says 12 militants killed near LoC

SRINAGAR: The Indian army has killed a dozen suspected militants in five days of fighting near the highly militarised Line of Control (LoC) dividing disputed Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Indian army spokesman Naresh Vig said the fighting began on Monday after soldiers intercepted some militants crossing into a northern part of Indian-administered Kashmir from the Pakistani side. Vig said Friday that militants also made attempts to cross into the Indian side at three other places in remote and mountainous northern Kashmir leading to fierce gunbattles with the army. There was no independent confirmation of the fighting. More than 68,000 people have been killed in the conflict since 1989. Militant groups have largely been suppressed by Indian troops in recent years, and resistance is now principally expressed through street protests.