Six people killed as gun battle rages in Kashmir

SIX people including a pro-India politician were killed in Kashmir, where a forest gun battle between Islamic militants and Indian troops entered a fourth day yesterday.

Violence by rebels has claimed 67 lives since Sunday, a day after Indian troops shot dead their senior commander Gazi Baba in Srinagar, the summer capital. Seven Islamic militants continued to hold 1,500 Indian troops at bay for a fourth day as the army said it was not in a hurry to end its siege of the thick jungles of southern Kashmir.

Officials supervising the gun battle in dense forests and ravines near the village of Ghatti, in the Kathua border region about 85 kilometres (53 miles) south of Indian Kashmir's winter capital Jammu, rejected the criticism. "Our strategy is to wear them out. We have no time-frame," said Kashmir Police Inspector-General PL Gupta on the fighting, which so far has led to the death of one policeman and injuries to seven others.

Meanwhile, police said suspected militants yesterday afternoon shot dead politician Mohammed Ismail in the village of Aripora, near Kulgam town, 70 kilometers (44 miles) south of Srinagar.

Ismail a former commander with pro-India militant group Ikhwan was gunned down when he came out of a shrine after offering Friday prayers.

He had unsuccessfully contested state elections last year on the ticket of the Awami League, Ikhwan's political wing.