Three Indian soldiers killed, 9 wounded in disputed Kashmir
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Indian paramilitary troopers stand alert on a street of closed shops during a one-day strike in Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 12, 2016. ©AFP
At least three Indian soldiers have been killed and nine others injured in a shooting attack by armed men against a convoy of paramilitary forces in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
According to Press TV, military officials said the gunmen staged an ambush on a 23-vehicle convoy of the Border Security Force (BSF) as it was traveling along a road in the town of Bijbehara, located some 45 kilometers (27 miles) south of Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar, on Friday afternoon.
The assailants opened fire on the paramilitary troopers as they were returning to duty from leave, the officials said.
The militants were reportedly hiding inside a government hospital building. They hijacked a car and managed to flee the scene after the fatal shooting.
Two soldiers died on the spot, while the third succumbed to his injuries on the way to hospital.
Security forces have launched an operation to hunt down the assailants.
Pro-independence Hizb-ul-Mujahideen group later claimed responsibility for the attack.
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