Indian forces killed 11 militants in renewed gunbattles in Kashmir ahead of the onset of winter, the military said on Sunday. One soldier was killed in the fighting that erupted in Kagnan forests, north of Srinagar, Kashmir's summer capital and had lasted 48 hours, army spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel A.K. Mathur said. "Some more militants are still hiding in the forest area," he said. Seven rebels were killed in that clash. Elsewhere four militants, including a senior member of Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group were killed in gunbattles with Indian troops since Saturday evening, police said. Clashes between Indian troops and militants have intensified in recent days in the mountainous region after militants began coming down to the plains due to the early onset of cold weather on mountain tops. Violence involving Indian troops and militants has otherwise declined significantly since India and Pakistan, who claim the region in full but rule in parts, started a peace process in 2004. But people are still killed in shootouts and occasional explosions.
