Kashmiri group threatens to widen attacks in India

Kashmiri group threatens to widen attacks in India
Sheikh Mushtaq

Srinagar, India, Aug 28: A frontline separatistguerrilla group on Monday threatened to widen its attacks in India if the country's security forces did not stop human rights violations in Kashmir.

"If Indian Army continues brutal atrocities on unarmedKashmiris, Hizbul Mujahideen will extend its militant activities to interior parts of India," a statement from Hizbul Mujahideen said.

The statement was faxed to newspaper offices in Srinagarfrom Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Earlier this month, Hizbul called off its first truce 15days after a single round of talks with Indian government officials, citing New Delhi's refusal to engage arch-rival Pakistan on the future of the bitterly disputed Himalayan territory.

Pro-Pakistan Hizbul later claimed responsibility for aseries of bomb explosions in Kashmir which killed more than 20 people, mostly Indian security force personnel, and wounded scores of other people.

"Hizbul Mujahideen will continue its militant activities aslong as India is not ready to solve the Kashmir problem through tripartite talks," the statement said.

The Indian military, deployed to put down the decade-oldrevolt, has consistently denied it abuses the rights of dissident Kashmiris, a charge levelled by Amnesty International.

The human rights watchdog group says Indian authorities hadjailed hundreds of people to harass and intimidate those who are critical of the government.

Police and hospitals say more than 30,000 people have beenkilled in separatist violence in the Himalayan region since 1990 and nearly a dozen militant groups are fighting New Delhi's rule in Jammu and Kashmir, India's only Moslem majority state.

Hizbul's cadres account for more than half the militantsoperating there.

The group recently said it can declare a ceasefire againwithin two months if India agrees to include Pakistan in the peace talks.

The statement said the group will counter Indian propagandaagainst it. "Side by side with our military struggle, Hizbul Mujahideen will step up its activities also at diplomatic level."

India accused Pakistan of derailing the peace initiative,while Pakistan said India's insincere response was to blame.

India, which controls 45 percent of Kashmir region, accusesPakistan of arming and training Kashmiri separatists and sending in foreign Islamic militants from Afghanistan and elsewhere, a charge Islamabad consistently denies.

Pakistan rules over a third of Kashmir and China the rest.

-- REUTERS