2 Indian troops, 4 rebels killed in Kashmir fighting

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — A soldier, a counterinsurgency police official and four rebels were killed in a gunfight Tuesday in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir, police said, triggering anti-India protests and clashes.

The fighting began early Tuesday when militants attacked raiding government forces with gunfire in a forest in the southern Tral area, police said.

In the initial battle, a policeman and a soldier were killed.

Authorities rushed reinforcements of police and soldiers and cordoned off the area, sparking a fierce exchange of gunfire in which four militants were killed, police said.

As news of the fighting spread, anti-India protests and clashes erupted in Tral town. Scores of youths, mainly students, hit the roads while chanting slogans in favor of the rebels and demanding an end of Indian rule over Kashmir. They threw stones at police and paramilitary soldiers, who fired tear gas to quell the protests. The clashes ended Tuesday evening.

In recent years, Kashmiris, mainly youths, have displayed open solidarity with rebels and sought to protect them by engaging troops in street clashes during military operations.

A new generation of Kashmiri rebels, especially in the southern parts of the disputed region, has revived militancy and challenged New Delhi's rule with guns and effective use of social media.

Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim it in its entirety.

Rebels have been fighting Indian rule since 1989, demanding Kashmir be made part of Pakistan or become an independent country. India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, a charge Pakistan denies.

Most Kashmiris support the rebels' cause while also participating in civilian street protests against Indian control.

Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown.