India: Militants attack police camp in Kashmir June 5

Event

Security officials said that militants attacked a Central Reserve Police Forec (CRPF) camp in Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Monday, June 5. According to the authorities, the assault started at 04:30 (local time) with four armed men attempting to enter the camp. All four attackers were killed before breaching the perimeter. Rajnath Singh, the India’s Home Minister, said that the militants were heavily armed and were carrying rations, indicating that they planned to carry out a prolonged siege at the camp.

Context

Tensions have increased in the Kashmir region since Sazar Ahmad Bhat, the former leader of the Hizbul Mujahideen armed group, was killed during a security operation on May 27. Violent anti-India protests took place throughout the Kashmir region in reaction to his death. At least one person was killed and ten wounded in the demonstrations.

Advice

As a reminder, authorities advise against all travel to Jammu and Kashmir, as well as to the border region with Pakistan (direct vicinity of the Line of Control) due to the high threat of terrorism, with the exception of the city of Jammu and the region of Ladakh. Western governments usually advise their citizens against all but essential travel to the city of Srinagar.