September 30, 2003	Tuesday	Sha’aban 3, 1424

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SRINAGAR, Sept 29: Indian troops have killed 15 Mujahideen in occupied Kashmir, foiling what they said was the biggest infiltration attempt in four months.

Army spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mukhtar Singh said the Mujahideen were killed after they were intercepted trying to cross into occupied Kashmir on Sunday night.

This is one of the major infiltration bids in recent months by freedom fighters, Col Singh said.

Soldiers are searching for more Mujahideen after the 18-hour battle north of Srinagar, Singh said.

An army officer said Israeli-made thermal imagers had helped the Indian army detect the rebels.

Gurez has also been under artillery fire from the Pakistani zone for the past two weeks, he said, accusing Pakistani gunners of shelling the sector to help Mujahideen sneak into occupied Kashmir.

India-based military attaches from 20 countries including Britain, France, Japan, Israel and the United States, meanwhile, reached Gurez on Monday for an on-spot assessment of the situation.

Police in Azad Kashmir said Indian firing killed a 33-year-old man and injured five people, including three women, in villages in the district of Bhimber on Monday.—Agencies