STALEMATE IN KASHMIR

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25367, 15 December 1947, Page 7

STALEMATE IN KASHMIR

INDIANS CONSOLIDATING POSITIONS

(Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON. Dec. 13. Declaring that the military situation in Kashmir has now reached a stalemate which may continue throughout the winter months, the Delhi correspondent of “The Times” says: “After more than six weeks’ hard campaigning, the Indian forces failed to attain their objective of re-establishing law and order in the State.

“During the winter, the Indian Army will consolidate its forces and build up its supplies, but reliable intelligence indicates that the insurgents and the raiders are also reorganising their columns for prolonged operations. Tribesmen are being recruited op a regular basis, and any large offensive mounted by the Indian Army in the spring may well be ably resisted. Some • military commanders believe that India has created another North-west Frontier.”

A force of raiders estimated variously at from 1000 to 3000 swooped on southern Kashmir yesterday and looted and burned 10 villages with a total population of 11,000, says a Reuters correspondent in Jammu. Refugees said that many of the raiders were Pathans, some were mounted and many were carrying, Sten guns and small arms. Indian troops have been rushed to the area, and are restoring normal conditions. The Indian Defence Ministry’s night communique on the fighting in Kashmir reported that the Indian forces had killed 76 raiding tribesmen and wounded 30 others in an encounter in the Un area. Indian artillery shelled concentrations of raiders in other localities.