Srinagar - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has
rejected the possiblity of talks with Pakistan after a deadly bombing
last week sparked new violence in the disputed Kashmir region on
Monday and raised tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
Four Indian soldiers, three militants, one police officer and one
civilian were killed on Monday in a gunbattle in India-administered
Kashmir's Pulwama district, not far from the site of a rebel bombing
that killed 40 paramilitary soldiers on Thursday.
The militants reportedly belonged to Pakistan-based Islamist militant
Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group that took responsibility for last week's
attack in Pulwama.
Even as the police said they were determining identities of the
militants, broadcaster NDTV reported that one of the slain rebels, a
top commander of the JeM, was a mastermind of the deadly bombing.
The militant was a trusted aide of JeM chief Masood Azhar,
responsible for recruiting and training militants in the Kashmir
valley, the report said.
The rebels had opened gunfire on the security forces, triggering a
gunfight, a police officer said, requesting anonymity.
Four soldiers, including an army major, and civilian were killed and
three soldiers were injured early on in the gunbattle. Two militants
were later killed in the fighting, he added.
The operations were continuing as a third militant was suspected to
be hiding in one of the houses in the area, police said.
Addressing the press alongside visiting Argentine president Mauricio
Macri in New Delhi, Modi exhorted the world to unite against
terrorism.
"The Pulwama terror attack (bombing) shows that the time for talks is
over," Modi said in a reference to a possible dialogue with Islamabad
to ease tensions.
"Now the entire world needs to unite to take concrete steps to deal
with terrorism and supporters. Not taking strict measures against
terrorism and those against humanity, also encourages terrorism," he
added.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia vowed to play a role in defusing tensions
between the countries, foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir who is
accompanying Crown Prince Prince Mohmmad bin Salman in Pakistan, told
reporters.
The Saudi crown prince is due to undertake a two-day India visit from
Tuesday.
Thursday's attack, the deadliest in India-administered Kashmir in
three decades, came a time when India is readying for general
elections, which are due by May.
India and Pakistan administer separate portions of Muslim-majority
Kashmir, but both claim the region in its entirety and have fought
two wars over it. India claims Pakistan aids and abets militancy in
Kashmir, a charge Islamabad denies. It calls militants freedom
fighters.
Close to 45,000 militants, security personnel and civilians have been
killed since deadly secessionist violence in India-administered
Kashmir broke out in the late 1980s.
Attacks on Kashmiri people have been reported from several parts of
India since the deadly bombing last week.
Human rights group Amnesty has called on Indian authorities to ensure
that Kashmiri people are not targeted or face harassment and arbitary
arrests in the aftermath of the attack.