国际英语新闻:Civilian, eight militants killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, May 27 (Xinhua) -- A civilian and eight militants, including a top commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant outfit, were killed Saturday during gunfights across Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The civilian was killed in Tral, where contingents of Indian police and army were battling holed up militants.

According to police the gunfight broke out at village Saimoo-Tral in Pulwama district, about 40 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Today two militants of HM including a top commander were killed in a joint operation at Tral," a police spokesman said. "During the cross firing one more person was injured. He was rushed to the Tral hospital where he succumbed to his wounds."

The slain militants were identified as Sabzar Ahmad Bhat and Faizan Ahmad Bhat, both local cadres of HM, the region's indigenous militant outfit.

Sabzar Ahmad Bhat was successor of prominent militant commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani, who was killed last year.

Wani's killing triggered massive protests in the region for months together and a security lockdown, during which at least 90 people most of them teenagers were killed and over 14,000 injured (including those blinded and maimed) in police and paramilitary shooting during protests. Authorities also arrested around 8,000 civilians to contain the protests.

As the gunfight was raging in Tral, scores of residents especially youth tried to storm the gunfight site shouting anti-India slogans marched in a bid to help the trapped militants break the cordon. However, they were chased by government forces.

Reports said the three houses in the locality were completely damaged. Police said from one of the damaged houses militants were firing on police and army.

No sooner the news about militant commander's killing spread out, spontaneous shutdown and clashes triggered in most of the towns including Srinagar, Pulwama and Anantnag.

Police fired dozens of tear smoke shells and used shotgun pellets in Pulwama and Anantnag to chase young protesters, who resorted to stone pelting.

Local health officials said around 50 people were injured in the clashes and protests in southern districts of Shopian, Anantnag and Pulwama.

Police spokesman however, said stone pelting incidents were reported from about two dozen places and 37 people including 25 government force personnel were injured.

With the killing of civilian, the death toll in the daylong violence across the region has risen to nine.

Indian army or police have not suffered any damage in the gunfight with militants on Saturday, the officials said.

The separatist groups have called for a two-day shutdown beginning on Sunday to protest militant killings.

Authorities fearing spreading of clashes Saturday blocked mobile internet services in the region.

Anti-India sentiment runs deep in the psyche of majority of Kashmiris. Irate residents took to roads and clash with police and paramilitary, who respond by firing tear smoke shells, pellets and bullets, which often proves fatal.

Officials said strict restrictions would be imposed in sensitive towns including Srinagar, Pulwama and Anantnag on Sunday to prevent protests and clashes.

"In view of the prevailing law and order situation, strict restrictions have been imposed within the territorial jurisdiction of seven police stations of Srinagar district, including Khanyar, Nowhatta, Safakadal, M R Gunj, Rainawari, Kralkhud, Maisuma, with effect from May 28 till further orders," a government spokesman said. "Strict restrictions would be in place in the territorial jurisdiction of the district tomorrow to prevent breach of peace and loss of life in view of the prevailing law and order situation."

A separatist movement and guerilla war challenging New Delhi's rule is going on in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.

The situation along LoC is tense since the beginning of this month. Several cease-fire violations and civilian killings were reported on both the sides of LoC.

The armies of India and Pakistan are currently at loggerheads with each other, especially along LoC and international border (IB) in Kashmir.