India blames Pakistan as Kashmir attack kills 17 soldiers
India accused Pakistan of being behind September 18's separatist attack on an army base near their disputed frontier that killed 17 soldiers, in one of the most deadly attacks in Kashmir in a quarter-century-old insurgency.
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Four commando-style gunmen, armed with AK-47 assault rifles and grenades, burst into the brigade headquarters in Uri at 5:30 a.m. (midnight GMT) and were killed after a three-hour gunfight, a senior Indian army officer said.
The incident sharply increased tensions between the bitter, nuclear-armed rivals and will raise fears of a potential military escalation. Indian and Pakistani troops are in close proximity in many places along one of the world's most heavily militarized frontiers, and exchanges of fire are not uncommon.
Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh told reporters in New Delhi that September 18's attack bore the hallmarks of Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed. Evidence gathered at the scene indicated the attackers were foreign and their equipment bore Pakistani markings, he added.
"Our men are ready to give a befitting response," Singh said in response to a reporter's question. He did not elaborate.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned what he called the "cowardly terror attack".
"I assure the nation that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished," Modi said in a series of Twitter posts.
