SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- Two Indian army troopers were killed and two others wounded in a landmine blast near International Border (IB) in Kashmir, officials said Sunday.
The blast went off in Pallanwala sector, Akhnoor in Jammu district.
"Last evening a blast went off in Pallanwala sector in which two troopers were killed and two others wounded," a police official said. "The landmine exploded after troopers accidentally stepped on it. The injured troopers were immediately removed to hospital."
Reports said the landmine exploded when a contingent of army was on a routine patrol in the area.
IB and Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir is believed to be heavily mined on both sides.
International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), a Geneva-based network seeking ban of landmines, has been urging both New Delhi and Islamabad to ban the use of landmines and launch comprehensive mine clearance programs.
India and Pakistan are yet to ban landmines and hence fall into the group of 32 countries in the world that are not signatories to the mine ban treaty.
According to ICBL officials landmines on LoC and IB were mostly laid during 1947, 1960s, 1970s and during 1999 Kargil War between India and Pakistan.
Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
