At least 31 killed in Kashmir bomb attack

At least 31 people have been killed in a car bomb attack on the main parliament building in the disputed Indian province of Kashmir.

Two suspected Islamic militants hijacked a four-wheel drive vehicle and drove it towards the state legislature in Srinigar before detonating the bomb.

After the blast, the militants stormed the parliament building and opened fire on staff members trapped inside. Around 75 people were also injured in the attack, according to local police.

The rebels attacked shortly after most of the Kashmir MPs had left a meeting inside the building.

Dressed in police uniforms, they planted the car bomb before attacking the parliament with automatic weapons and hand grenades.

The gunbattle inside the building lasted for seven hours after the initial explosion.

About 30 people were rescued from the building, but about 30 more, mainly secretaries the clerks, remained trapped inside.

The siege ended with the deaths of the two attackers.

The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group later claimed responsibility in a phonecall to a local newsroom.

For the last 12 years, Islamic militants have been fighting for independence in Kashmir, a mainly Muslim state in Hindu-dominated India.

Pakistan openly supports the Kashmir freedom fighters and India has even accused its old enemy of arming and training the rebels, who include many Afghan fighters loyal to the Taliban, the United States’ new enemy.

Many observers have wondered what will happen in Kashmir now that the US army is preparing to attack Afghanistan with the support of Pakistan.