Suspected militants attack Indian army base in Kashmir

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Suspected rebels in Indian-controlled Kashmir early Sunday attacked a major army camp close to the highly militarized line of control dividing the disputed Himalayan region between India and Pakistan, police and army officials said.

A police officer says an unspecified number of militants sneaked into the army camp in Uri town before dawn and used guns and grenades to target the soldiers.

A military officer says soldiers returned fire and a gunbattle was ongoing.

Both the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak to media, did not immediately specify any casualties.

New Delhi Television reported that some buildings in the camp were on fire and explosions could be heard.

Uri, a town west of Indian-controlled Kashmir's main city of Srinagar, houses the Indian army's brigade headquarters in the region along the de facto border.

Kashmir has seen its largest anti-India protests in recent years since the killing July 8 of a popular rebel commander by Indian troops. A sweeping military crackdown and near-constant curfew have followed.

Protesters throwing rocks have clashed with troops firing live ammunition and shotgun pellets, and more than 80 people have been killed.

The Muslim-majority region is divided between India and Pakistan but most people in the Indian portion favor independence or a merger with Pakistan.