May 3, 2005	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 23, 1426

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SRINAGAR, May 2: The Indian army said on Monday a campaign to hunt down militants in occupied Kashmir had left 90 freedom seekers dead since the launch of the Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service last month. A senior official said the campaign was being aided by an extensive network of fences built by India in the past decade to “stop militants crossing from Pakistan”.

“The militants were killed in nearly 60 clashes with troops across the (occupied) state since the bus launch on April 7,” the official said. Four groups have threatened to attack passengers on the bus and disrupt the service in a bid to stall a move by India and Pakistan for a “soft border” along the LoC.

The official also said troops had intensified operations against militants to gain an advantage ahead of the normal spring melting of snow now covering alpine passes along the LoC.—AFP