2 civilians, 2 pro-liberation fighters killed in Indian-occupied Kashmir

SRINAGAR, Jammu and Kashmir (AA) – Unknown attackers shot dead two members of a government-funded civilian militia in the Jammu province of Indian-occupied Kashmir.

Kuldeep Kumar and Nazir Ahmed were abducted from Kishtwar area by members of Kashmir Tigers pro-liberation outfit. The incident evoked condemnation from the region’s Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha.

“No words are strong enough to condemn the heinous terrorist attack on VDG members in Kishtwar. I convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of brave sons martyred in this cowardly attack. We are firmly resolved to destroy all terror outfits & avenge this barbaric act,” Sinha’s office wrote on X.

Formerly Village Defense Committees, Village Defense Guard (VDF) is a militia comprising both civilians and former servicemen and retired policemen, which was formed in the ’90s to arm primarily Hindu population in the mountainous districts of Jammu province. Each group functions under the supervision of the district police chief concerned.

The members are supposed to work voluntarily for the militia and are paid between INR 4,000 and 4,500 ($47-$53) per month.

Meanwhile, in the occupied Kashmir valley, two liberation fighters were killed in a nightlong military operation in the northern town of Sopore.

The gunfight started Thursday evening but after an overnight lull, the exchange of fire started again, leading to the killings.

There has been a spurt in tensions since the new elected government took office, after a gap of six years. More than a dozen civilians, six liberation fighters and two Indian soldiers have been killed in the past fortnight.

Muslim majority Kashmir was denied the right of self determination at the time of India’s partition in 1947. After a popular movement for union with Pakistan, the Indian army occupied the region leading to a war between the two newly independent states. A part of the disputed region was liberated by Pakistan and continues to remain under Pakistani administration as “Azad Kashmir.”

Most of the region is under Indian occupation which has used brutal ways to smother a popular liberation movement. A sliver of the scenic valley is also claimed by China. The region remains disputed and has been denied its fundamental right of self determination recognized by several UN resolutions.