India kills three suspected militants in Indian-administered Kashmir as Pakistan ceasefire holds

Three suspected militants were killed in Indian-administered Kashmir on Tuesday in a gun battle with soldiers, the army said, the first since an attack on tourists brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war.

The clashes happened after the army's special counter-insurgency force received information that militants were in Keller forest in the southern Kashmir valley.

A "search and destroy Operation" was launched leading to a clash, the army said on X.

"During the operation, terrorists opened heavy fire and fierce firefight ensued, which resulted in elimination of three hardcore terrorists," it said.

Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947.

The arch-rivals govern the Himalayan region separately but claim it in full.

Rebel groups have waged an insurgency since 1989, demanding Kashmir's independence or merger with Pakistan.

The conflict has left tens of thousands of civilians, soldiers and rebels dead.

Militants opposed to Indian rule in Kashmir have stepped up attacks on security forces since 2019, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government revoked the region's limited autonomy and imposed direct rule from New Delhi.

On April 22, gunmen attacked tourists near Pahalgam, a popular resort in Kashmir, killing 26 people.

India accused Pakistan of backing the attack but Islamabad denied involvement.

A series of tit-for-tat diplomatic measures followed between the nuclear-armed rivals which led to India launching airstrikes on "terrorist camps" inside Pakistan and the part of Kashmir it controls.

Pakistan immediately responded with heavy artillery fire and a four-day conflict ensued between the South Asian rivals, which left nearly 70 people dead on both sides.

A weekend truce announced Saturday ended four days of missile, drone and artillery attacks, their worst fighting since 1999.

India regularly blames Pakistan for backing the militants, allegations Islamabad denies saying it only supports a Kashmir struggle for right of self-determination.

India and Pakistan have fought two wars over control of Kashmir.