KARGIL CONFLICT

India has moved heavy weapons to Pakistani border

SRINAGAR, May 15 (AFP) - India has moved heavy weapons to Pakistan's borders in Kashmir amid reports that Pakistani troops captured a frontier village in the Himalayan zone, officials said on Saturday. Indian defence sources here said heavy artillery pieces have been deployed at the border of the Indian-administered zone of Kashmir to counter further shelling from Pakistan. The deployment came amid reports in a local newspaper on Saturday that Pakistani troops Friday captured a village after bombarding the frontier town of Drass, some 160 kilometres (100 miles) southwest of Srinagar.  There was no independent confirmation of the latest cross-border attack from either the Indians or the Pakistanis, but Friday night's shelling in Drass as intense. Some 40 shells pounded snow-covered Drass and adjoining areas before Pakistani troops took control of the village located on a line of control which divides the two zones of Kashmir.  Some 10,000 people fled their homes in Drass after the shelling stopped late Friday evening, the English-language newspaper said. Indian forces have launched a "massive retaliatory attack" on Pakistani positions, and have been seen sending troops to Drass by parachutes in a bid to retake the village, it added. Drass is located in Kashmir's mountainous border district of Kargil, which is frequently targeted by Pakistani gunners. "Kargill has turned into a battlefield due to the heavy shelling by Pakistani troops in last few days," an Indian official said of a renewed spell of cross-border artillery duels in the region which started on May 7.  Pakistan, earlier Saturday said its armed forces had inflicted "many casualties" on the Indian army in six days of artillery duels. "The Indians suffered many casualties while there was no loss of life on our side," an official told AFP in Islamabad.  The duels continued amid a news blackout on the number of casualties on the Indian side.

India launches major operation in valley

16 May 1999, SRINAGAR:  Thousands of Indian troops on Sunday launched a major offensive against militants in occupied Kashmir's Kargil sector, officials said. Military sources in Srinagar said infantry reinforcements moved into the mountains of Kargil, where 10 soldiers and 15 militants have been killed in skirmishes over the past week. Kargil is 240 kilometres southwest of Srinagar.  Dozens of helicopter sorties over Kargil were reported on Sunday. Newspapers in occupied Kashmir reported Indian combat jets over the region.  "Dozens of Islamic militants in these forward posts have been holed up and their supplies have been cut, and very soon they will be killed," a senior military source said in Srinagar.  Officials said an unspecified number of guerillas, including "fighters from Afghanistan's Taliban militia" had entered occupied Kashmir under the "cover of week-long shelling by Pakistani troops".  The Tribune newspaper alleged at least 100 heavily-armed guerillas from Pakistan were currently in Kargil.  The Pakistan and Indian armies are locked in a fierce artillery duel in Kargil, forcing some 10,000 inhabitants to move out of artillery range, officials said on Sunday.  A police officer said they were exchanging heavy artillery, missile and rockets along the Line of Control (LoC).  A Kargil resident reached by telephone reported continuing deafening blasts and smoke billowing along several mountains.  The defence source said Pakistani gunners were trying to target helicopter gunships moving into the forward area. Local newspapers said at least one Indian helicopter may have been hit.  The week-long duels have continued amid a news blackout on the number of Indian casualties. Newspapers speak of between 25 and 50 casualties on both sides, but Indian officials have refused to comment.

Pak Army captures seven posts and a village in Kargil Sector

17 May 1999, NEW DELHI: Pakistan has captured seven more Indian posts in the Kargil Sector of Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir, with the shelling and firing between Indian and Pakistani troops entering seventh day on Saturday, 17 May 1999. Reports said that Pakistani troops have also captured a village after bombarding the frontier town of Drass, some 160 kilometres southwest of Srinagar. Sources in the Indian Defence Ministry in New Delhi said; "at least a dozen unguarded dominating positions described as posts of the Indian Army were taken over by the Pakistani troops backed by heavy artillery fire in the eastern areas of Batalik Range near Drass during the past few days." Indian Defence authorities here confirmed that intense fighting between the Indian and Pakistani troops has left 23 persons dead including seven Indian army men, one civilian and 15 armed freedom fighters since Sunday morning. The recovery of some bodies in these areas which have been witness to bloody conflict between the two sides was not ruled out.  Pakistani troops have cut off the Indian Armed Forces supplyline from Jammu-Kargil Highway to Siachen after taking the control of important passes in Kargil Sector. The official sources in New Delhi said that the Indian Army has launched the biggest ever combing operation in Kargil villages after completely taking over the 450-Kms long strategic Srinagar Leh road 205 kms north-east of Kashmir Valley. Series of convoys, some of them, carrying arms and ammunition besides troops and supplies were seen moving towards Kargil. The troops since Friday got engaged in Drass also, the world's coldest township. Highly placed sources in New Delhi said that Pakistanis have captured one of the village near the Line of Control (LoC) while shells continued to land in the border township of Kargil after intervals, breaking the grim silence of the ghost town.  The coldest town of Drass where temperature dips to 40 degrees centigrade below freezing point in winter turned real hot at midnight when troops exchanged shells near the sleepy town. This is the first time since 1947 that Drass has come under artillery fire. The firing and shelling was said to be so severe that people took it for Doomsday.  According to Indian officials the coldest desert habitat of the entire Ladakh region, is facing two types of attacks - one by the Pakistan Rangers and the other from the "militants" who have already infiltrated. Drass, it may be recalled here, is connected to the Baltistan periphery besides Kishanganga area of Gurez and there is belief that the Kashmiri Mujahideen are in control of both the tracks. Around 10,000 denizens of Drass town and its adjoining villages of Trungan, Baris, Goshan Bambath have fled from the area in panic. They have taken shelter under the sky on banks of river Mushku.  Heavy firing in Drass was going on Saturday evening and Indian troops have reportedly launched a full scale war to re-capture the village. The reinforcement has been sent to the area to counter Pakistani attack. Sources said that helicopters were seen air-dropping the army troops near town to strengthen their troops. On the other hand shelling in Kargil town continued. The remaining people who are in the town have been asked to remain confined to the under ground bunkers. Sources said that at least two shells fell just outside the Kargil's Army helipad. However, there were no reports of any casualties or damage it.  They further said that Pakistani troops targeted Iqbal bridge which is just outside Kargil town on Srinagar-Kargil national highway. The war is said to be full scale and casualties on the Indian side are said to be higher.

Pakistan confirms gains in Kargil

17 May 1999  ISLAMABAD (NNI): Confirming gains at the Kargil sector, Siachen, Pakistan Sunday said that the United Nations Military Observer Group (UNMOGIP) has been informed about the continued cease-fire violation by the Indian Army along with the Line of Control (LoC).  The UNMOGIP has been also informed about the enemy's heavy arms deployment at the LoC, a highly placed defence source told NNI. "Heavy arms deployment could not demoralize Pakistan Army and we are fully prepared and equipped to thwart any aggression at the LoC and Siachen."  Indian troops after having defeated at Kargil sector where Pakistan Army took over five very important Indian posts with a radius of more than 28 km, have opened fire at almost all the sectors of LoC including Neelam and Jhelum Valley, Ponch, Uri, Tithwal and Mendar sectors. The gain of Pakistan Army at Siachen has disconnected communication system of the Indian troops at the world's highest battlefield with their Brigade Headquarters at Kargil Cantonment.  "Sunday (today) firing from across the LoC has killed one and injured two other civilians at Athmuqam, at Uri sector," the source said. The Indian Army in its usual cowardice move has been targeting the civilian population along with the LoC at Azad Kashmir.  Foreign Minister Sartaj Aziz yesterday (Saturday) said that Pakistan would take up the cease-fire violation issue with India formally. Talking to newsmen at Lahore airport on his return from Singapore, the minister said that Pakistani High Commissioner in New Delhi had already taken up the issue with the Indian External Affairs Ministry. "The latest Indian firing is against the spirit of the Lahore Declaration," he said.  The latest violation of cease-fire was started by the Indian troops on May 11and has continued near Kargil, a border town in the mountainous Ladakh region at Siachen. The Indian Army is moving heavy arms to get back its five posts from Pakistani soldiers in the area.  The Indian troops, however after the gains of Pakistan Army at the Kargil sector have been left with no choice but aerial droop of their troops as the road from Kargil Cantonment has been blocked by Pakistani troops after the latest gains there.