Ten dead as militants attack army in Indian Kashmir

Four to five militants attacked the army base near the town of Arnia, about four km from the border with Pakistan

SRINAGAR: Gunmen wearing army uniforms on Thursday attacked an Indian army base near the border with Pakistan, leaving ten people dead.

The incident came as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi had a brief meeting at the 18th Saarc summit in Nepal that clinched a deal to create a regional electricity grid.

Four or five gunmen split into two groups upon arriving in the town of Arnia, about four kilometres from the border, with one group attacking an army bunker and the other holed up in a house, a senior army officer said.

Three soldiers and three civilians were shot dead, said Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, adding, "My condolences to the families."

He said four militants were also killed.

The gunmen did not infiltrate from the Pakistani side of the border, a senior Border Security Force official said.

"They came in a car to Arnia and took shelter in a bunker and targeted the army," he said.

The incident comes a day ahead of a visit planned by Modi to Jammu, where he will address two election rallies amid phased state polls that conclude on December 20.