India Fires on Kashmir Guerrillas
By ARTHUR MAX
.c The Associated Press
DRAS, India (AP) -- Raising the stakes between the two new nuclear powers, Indian aircraft
fired on separatist guerrillas in Kashmir province Wednesday and Pakistan threatened
retaliation. It was the first use of air power in years in the long-running conflict over
the Himalayan border region.
India said it had blasted at Pakistani soldiers and guerrillas entrenched in rugged,
snowcapped mountains in the Indian-held part of Kashmir. Pakistan, however, denied that
its troops were involved and said India's aircraft had bombed Pakistani territory.
Indian aircraft began attacking rebel positions in the 17,000-foot peaks at dawn. Later,
warplanes and helicopters were still roaring over Dras, a village a mile from the Line of
Control that divides Kashmir between the two nations, and the faint thud of bombs could be
heard across the hills.
[snip]
This time, Indian satellite photos showed that about 600 guerrillas had pushed nearly 4
miles into India's territory, taking advantage of the melting snow to occupy posts Indian
soldiers had vacated at the onset of winter.
