The Indian truce plan, announced Sunday, said security forces would suspend combat operations against militants in Jammu and Kashmir state during Ramadan, which begins Monday or Tuesday, subject to the sighting of the new moon. Unidentified relatives of Madan Singh, one of the five truck drivers killed in Sher Bibi, India mourn over his body before his funeral in Jammu, Thursday The dialogue broke down after New Delhi refused to include Islamabad in the process, whom it accused of backing insurgency in its only Muslim-majority state. Salahuddin said a cease-fire during Ramadan meant nothing for the people of Kashmir, who he added had faced oppression from Indian forces after they began an armed struggle. But Salahuddin appeared to take a softer line than other Muslim guerrilla groups who vowed to launch new offensives against the Indian forces. India controls 45 percent of the disputed region and Pakistan more than a third.
China controls the remainder.
The two nuclear-capable countries have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir since independence from Britain in 1947. Copyright 2000 Reuters . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. All Rights Reserved.