3 killed, 23 hurt in blast outside army HQ in Kashmir+

0 Comments | Asian Political News, Jan 1, 2001

NEW DELHI, Dec. 25 Kyodo

At least three people were killed and 23, including seven army soldiers, suffered injuries Monday afternoon when a powerful car bomb exploded close to the Indian army headquarters in Srinagar, summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir state, according to media reports.

The Pakistan-based Muslim militant group Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the explosion which they said was triggered off by a remote control device, private television channel ''Star News'' reported.

The powerful bomb placed inside an abandoned car exploded about 200 yards from the main gate of the army headquarters in the Badami Bagh area of Srinagar. Two shops at the site of explosion were also gutted.

A suicide bomber in a car stormed the army headquarters in April this year killing several soldiers. The army has since raised the height of the wall of the heavily guarded area.

This is the second attack on an army installation in three days. Another Pakistan-based militant group, Lashkar-e-Toiba, made a suicide attack on an army camp at the historical Red Fort monument in Old Delhi on Friday night leaving three people dead.

Security forces have not yet been able to trace the attackers, though some arms were recovered close to the site.

The attacks came barely a week after India extended its unilateral cease-fire in the troubled state of Kashmir which has been rocked by conflict for over a decade.

While several separatist groups have welcomed New Delhi's peace initiative, the militant groups, mainly based in Islamabad, have declined to give up their violent campaigns.

Over 25,000 people have died in the separatist violence in Kashmir since 1989.