An Indian gun is aimed toward Tiger Hill, a key Himalayan Peak, in the Dras area MESSAGE BOARD: India-Pakistan relations RELATED VIDEO CNN's Kasra Naji reports thousands are protesting against Pakistan's prime minister (July 6) Windows Media 28K 80K Villagers living near the fighting have had to flee the area. CNN's Kasra Naji is there (July 5) Windows Media 28K 80K Fighting continues in Kashmir, despite a Washington agreement. CNN's Satinder Bindra reports. (July 5) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K

July 6, 1999
Web posted at: 6:33 p.m. EDT (2233 GMT)

"We have had three significant successes in the Batalik sector, said Army Col. Bikram Singh, who added that the two sides were still engaged in fierce fighting near Tiger Hill, a strategic peak India said it wrested from the guerrillas over the weekend.

India claims the guerrillas who crossed the 1972 Line of Control between Indian- and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir are led by Pakistani army soldiers. But Pakistan says the militants are "freedom fighters" battling Indian rule of the area and are not under Pakistan's control.

Pakistan has acknowledged that its troops are firing across the border at Indian troops, but denies that its forces are on Indian-held territory.

But the Indian army claimed to have found weapons, ammunition and documents belonging to Pakistan's Northern Light Infantry at Khalubar in Batalik on the Indian side, along with a shallow grave holding 11 bodies.

India began its offensive against the Islamic infiltrators nearly two months ago, battling the guerrillas with airstrikes, artillery fire and ground forces. More than 60,000 Kashmiris have been forced to flee their homes on both sides of the Line of Control.

On Sunday, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif flew to Washington for an impromptu meeting with U.S. President Bill Clinton. They came out of the meeting with a joint statement agreeing to take "concrete steps" to restore the military control line which divides India and Pakistan in the disputed Himalayan territory.

U.S. officials said that meant Pakistan would ensure the retreat of hundreds of militants who are holed up on mountain vantage points.

In Islamabad Tuesday, Pakistani Deputy Foreign Minister Saddique Khan Kanju told Parliament that the government would urge the guerrillas to withdraw.

"Their valiant defiance of the massive Indian military might ... has brought the Kashmir dispute to the center of the international stage with the world attention focused on the urgency of its final settlement," he said.

Also in Islamabad, a 14-group alliance of groups fighting Indian rule in Kashmir convened an emergency meeting to discuss the situation in light of the agreement.

Meanwhile, India said it saw no signs of the guerrillas' withdrawal, and would continue its push to drive them out.

Text of joint Clinton-Sharif statement: President Clinton and Prime Minister Sharif share the view that the current fighting in the Kargil region of Kashmir is dangerous and contains the seeds of a wider conflict. They also agreed that it was vital for the peace of South Asia that the Line of Control in Kashmir be respected by both parties, in accordance with their 1972 Simla Accord. It was agreed between the president and the prime minister that concrete steps will be taken for the restoration of the Line of Control in accordance with the Simla Agreement. The president urged an immediate cessation of the hostilities once these steps are taken. The prime minister and president agreed that the bilateral dialogue begun in Lahore in February provides the best forum for resolving all issues dividing India and Pakistan, including Kashmir. The president said he would take a personal interest in encouraging an expeditious resumption and intensification of those bilateral efforts, once the sanctity of the Line of Control has been fully restored. The president reaffirmed his intent to pay an early visit to South Asia.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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