Militants stage twin attacks in Kashmir, at least 10 dead

Militants staged two attacks in India's Jammu and Kashmir state across from Pakistan early Thursday, killing at least 10 people, authorities said. The Hindu newspaper said the first attack occurred at a police station in the Kathua district in Jammu and the second immediately thereafter at a military camp in nearby Samba district. The report said the two attacks left four policemen and six military personnel dead. The attacks came ahead the scheduled weekend bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in New York where the two are attending the U.N. General Assembly session. Critics in India oppose the meeting, saying Pakistan, which also claims Kashmir, has committed numerous violations of the Line of Control that divides the state between the two countries. Describing the attack at the Hiranagar police station, official sources told The Hindu three to four militants in combat uniforms arrived at the facility. Later they opened fire and lobbed hand grenades, killing four policemen. The sources were quoted as saying the militants later hijacked a truck and drove off toward the national highway for the second attack at the military camp in Samba. The report said the militants killed six military personnel before a gun battle started. At least two of the militants also may have died in the gun battle. The Hindustan Times reported two civilians also died in the attack at the police station. CNN-IBN reported the gun battle at the military camp was still in progress several hours after the attack began. "We condemn the twin attack in Jammu. This shows how Pakistan continues its strategy. The talks between Indian PM and Pakistan PM in the United States are uncalled for," Prakash Javadekar, a leader of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, was quoted as saying. There was no immediate reaction from the Indian government.