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India has accused Pakistan's military of involvement in an ambush on an army post in disputed Kashmir which left five soldiers dead and punctured hopes of a resumption in peace talks.
While the Pakistani army denied involvement, India's defence minister said the government in New Delhi had lodged an official protest with its counterpart in Islamabad.

"We strongly condemn this unprovoked incident," Defence Minister A. K. Antony told lawmakers amid calls from the Indian opposition for a "powerful" response from the military.
"The attack was carried out by 20 heavily armed terrorists, along with persons in Pakistani army uniform," he said.

	We strongly condemn this unprovoked incident. The attack was carried out by 20 heavily armed terrorists, along with persons in Pakistani army uniform

	Indian Defence Minister A. K. Antony
Officials in Indian-administered Kashmir said that the attack had taken place late on Monday at a military outpost around 200 kilometres south of the state capital, Srinagar.
Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan by the Line of Control, a UN-monitored de facto border, but it is claimed in full by both countries.
"Pakistani troops simply attacked the Indian post, violating the ceasefire, and they killed five of our soldiers," a senior army official in Indian Kashmir said.
Another senior army official said that a sixth soldier who managed to escape the attack was now being treated in a military hospital in Kashmir.
The Pakistan army denied responsibility.
"No Pakistani troops either crossed into India nor carried out any unprovoked firing. The Indian allegations are totally baseless," a Pakistani military spokesman said in Islamabad.
Hopes of progress in the peace process have risen in recent weeks but Omar Abdullah, the state's chief minister, said the attack would undermine efforts. "These incidents don't help efforts to normalise or even improve relations with Pak & call in to question the Pak Govt's recent overtures," he tweeted.
A deadly flare-up along the border in January brought to a halt low-level peace talks which had only just resumed after a three-year hiatus sparked by the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people.
The election as prime minister of moderate Nawaz Sharif in May's polls in Pakistan had fuelled hopes of a rapprochement. Indian analysts said the attack would undermine New Delhi's trust in the new Sharif government in Islamabad.
"This incident will have a serious impact on the relations between India and Pakistan," said Lalit Mansingh, a former foreign secretary. "It shows that maybe the Pakistani leadership is not fully on board to hold talks."
More than a dozen rebel groups have been fighting Indian forces since 1989, demanding independence for Kashmir or a merger with Pakistan.
Although there had been a lull in violence, this year has seen a resurgence of deadly militant attacks on Indian security forces.


India accuses Pakistan over deadly ambush in Kashmir 

Indian army soldiers carry the coffin of their colleague during a wreath laying ceremony in Poonch, Kashmir. Photo: Reuters

An Indian Border Security Force soldier keeps vigil. Photo: AFP

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Asia

Prospects for peace talks take another knock after five soldiers die at Kashmir army post


India has accused Pakistan's military of involvement in an ambush on an army post in disputed Kashmir which left five soldiers dead and punctured hopes of a resumption in peace talks.


India accuses Pakistan over deadly ambush in Kashmir

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Prospects for peace talks take another knock after five soldiers die at Kashmir army post

Prospects for peace talks take another knock after five soldiers die at Kashmir army post