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(8 Oct 2013) The Indian military says it has called off a search for suspected rebels near the disputed border with Pakistan after two weeks of battles in the Himalayan region of Kashmir.
Lieutenant General Sanjiv Chachra, addressing journalists in Srinagar on Tuesday, said Indian troops faced repeated infiltration attempts at multiple points from militants who crossed from Pakistani-controlled Kashmir into the Indian-controlled portion.
He accused the Pakistani army of backing the infiltrators, adding that "passive support along the LoC (Line of Control) is always there and if you see the quantum of arms and ammunition, most of the arms have got the Pakistani markings."
Islamabad has denied the allegation.
Eight rebels were killed by the Indian army in fighting which ended last week, according to Chachra, although this conflicts with information given by another Indian army commander Lieutenant General who said last week that soldiers killed 12 militants in the fighting.
"The counter-infiltration grid all along the LoC is well intact," Chachra said on Tuesday. "Ceasefire violations are taking place. There will be attempts at infiltration at varying sectors, he (referring to militants) will try at very many sectors in the near areas. We have got intelligence inputs on that. We are prepared. We are aware of where he will make attempts."
Chachra said that although operations have been called off for now, "our counter-infiltration deployment is being strengthened".
"We are now going to be launching operations which are intelligence-based, which are surveillance-based, and which are specific so that we can eliminate and meet up to the challenges that are existing," he added.
India and Pakistan have fought two wars over control of Kashmir since they gained independence from Britain in 1947.
Meanwhile, rebel groups have been fighting since 1989 for independence or for merger with neighbouring Pakistan, though most resistance is now shown through street protests.
An estimated 68-thousand people have been killed in the conflict.
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