June 20, 1999
Web posted at: 9:33 p.m. EDT (0133 GMT)

In this story: G-8 blames 'armed intruders' for conflict Pakistani villagers flee RELATED STORIES, SITES

BATALIK, India (CNN) -- The Indian Defense Ministry said Sunday that its forces have driven Islamic insurgents from a key outpost in the disputed Kashmir region, nearly completing its campaign to secure a major highway from possible attacks.

Three Indian soldiers were killed and nine others wounded in the operation to wipe out bunkers perched along the 16,900-foot mountain peak. About 100 insurgents were dislodged, Indian military spokesman Col. Bikaram Singh said.

Singh said that the operation had left "one or two pockets" of rebels still overlooking National Highway One, the main supply route between Srinagar in the Kashmir Valley and Leh on the Chinese border.

India says Pakistani soldiers and Afghan mercenaries took positions in the mountains in May hoping to sever traffic along the highway. The Pakistani government denies its soldiers are involved, saying the insurgents are indigenous freedom fighters.

G-8 blames 'armed intruders' for conflict

India's announcement of a military advance came on the same day that leaders at the G-8 summit in Cologne, Germany, issued a statement calling for an end to hostilities in Kashmir, which has been the trigger for two wars between Indian and Pakistan since they won independence from Britain in 1947.

While the United States and Russia, in earlier statements, had put the burden on Pakistan to withdraw forces that intruded into Indian-held areas of Kashmir, Sunday's statement did not single out Pakistan. However, it blamed the conflict on "the infiltration of armed intruders" across a designated cease-fire line.

"We are strongly concerned by the continuing military confrontation in Kashmir," the statement said. "We regard any military action to change the status quo as irresponsible."

India welcomed the G-8 statement, calling on Pakistan to "heed this call and act to immediately put an end to its irresponsible conduct and fully restore the status quo."

There was no immediate comment from Pakistani officials.

Pakistan had urged the G-8 leaders to mediate in the conflict, calling on them to "collectively and individually play a role in averting a conflict." Pakistan wants to internationalize the issue to force India to the negotiating table.

But the G-8 statement did not mention any attempt to mediate, noting instead a Saturday statement by Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee rejecting mediation.

Vajpayee said there was no need for mediation and the issue would be resolved by the two countries. India has maintained that the Kashmir dispute is bilateral and would be dealt with accordingly.

Pakistani villagers flee

As the fighting has heated up, residents of the village of Vagha on the Pakistani side of the cease-fire line are fleeing the area.

"I have sisters and daughters. It's not safe," says one man. "Many people fear for their lives, and others guard their homes all night by sitting on the roof armed with (rifles)."

While the Pakistani army maintains a small presence in the area, that does not soothe the fears of residents. They have painful memories of an Indian attack in 1965 and fear the intensifying fighting in Kashmir could spread along the border.

CNN's Kasra Naji, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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