Gunmen attack military convoy in Kashmir

Gunmen have opened fire on a military convey and a hotel, killing one person and injuring two others, police in Indian-administered Kashmir have said.

A police official said the suspected fighters attacked the convoy on the outskirts of Srinigar on Friday and then entered the grounds of the Silver Star hotel and continued firing.

The three victims were hotel employees.

“Initial investigations into the firing incident have shown that the militants had planned to attack the vehicles going out from this hotel,” SM Sahai, the Inspector General of Police in Kashmir, said. 

“After that they tried to enter the hotel, which they could not and fired indiscriminately, killing one employee of the hotel and injuring two others. 

“Police personnel have rushed to the spot where militants have been spotted and to comb the area. Let us see what happens. There are three to four militants.”

Several armed groups are fighting against Indian rule. None have issued statements on the incident, although IBN Live, citing unnamed sources, reported on Saturday that Lashkar-e-Taiba, or Army of the Righteous, had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan and claimed by both.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed in Indian-administered Kashmir since an armed revolt against New Delhi’s rule erupted in 1989.