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CNN Live At Daybreak

Violence Flares In Kashmir

Aired December 31, 2001 - 06:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TOM HAYNES, CNN ANCHOR: Well, fighting in Kashmir overnight leaves more than a dozen people dead including two Indian soldiers and fears of an all-out war between India and Pakistan are growing now.

CNN's Michael Holmes has the latest on the increasingly tense situation. He filed this report from New Delhi a short time ago.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Several clashes in this extraordinarily tense region overnight. First of all, Indian officials have confirmed to CNN that two Indian soldiers were killed and six injured overnight in an exchange of mortar fire between India and Pakistan positions along the line of controlling Kashmir. No word is yet of casualties from Pakistan, if any.

Now these deaths, as I said, came from a night of mortar exchanges -- skirmishes, exchanges of fire in this region, not at all unusual of course, especially in recent days and weeks. What made this incident more unusual was that it lasted for much of the night and there has not been such a 31 sustained exchange of fire in the region for more than a week, which is a long time in this part of the world.

Two other incidents to report, in southern Kashmir a army patrol -- an Indian army patrol according to Indian police in Kashmir came under attack and eight suspected Kashmiri militants, according to Indian police were killed -- one Indian soldier also killed. Also in the same region just a few hours ago in southern Kashmir, suspected Kashmiri militants reported to have attacked an Indian army camp.

Now one Kashmir militant is said to have been killed in that exchange and an Indian soldier. A hunt is on the way for the remaining militants who fled the area. Now also no response from the Indian authorities -- now to a crucial development. Pakistan authorities have arrested two people -- two men that they say -- they accuse of terrorist activity against India. They have been taken into custody in Pakistan, and just a few moments ago after a cabinet meeting, the committee of security, Jaswant Singh, the Foreign Affairs Minister, came out and said that if the reports of these arrests are indeed true, he said this is a step in the right direction.

This could be a crucial turning point in the diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis between India and Pakistan. India has been saying for some time now that it wants to direct evidence -- hard evidence that Pakistan is taking actions against those it says are creating terror and carrying out terrorist acts inside of India and Pakistan having gone ahead with those arrests, India now saying that is a step in the right direction.

In diplomatic speak, it could be a major development. Now also a senior government minister in India says that India will be supplying a list of what he called terrorist that it accuses -- the India government accuses of committing crimes against India and people who it wants extradited to India. That list will be delivered in the next day or so, and India perhaps will be -- India will be waiting to see what the Pakistan response to that will be.

Michael Holmes, CNN, New Delhi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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