3 Indian soldiers killed after terrorists attacked army base in Kashmir

Three Indian soldiers were killed early on Thursday (27 April) morning after terrorists attacked an army base in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The camp was located in Kupwara district near India's de facto border with Pakistan, called the Line of Control. The Indian Army said that two attackers were also killed in gunfire that continued for nearly four hours.

The attack took place at 4am local time (11.30pm BST previous day), with a group of extremists opening fire on the Indian soldiers stationed at the camp. The army said that the insurgents were forcing their way into the facility in an apparent attempt to carry out a suicide attack, according to NDTV.

Official sources told the Press Trust of India that the victims of the attack included an army officer, identified as Captain Ayush. Five other soldiers were also injured.

The army has launched a search operation to check if other militants have infiltrated into the area.

The attack came a day after the state government banned social media in the state for a month after recent viral videos sparked tensions between the military and civilians. The videos were linked to the army's handling of protesters opposing elections in the state.

One video showed the alleged shooting down of a stone-pelter by a soldier guarding an election booth, while another showed a man tied on the bonnet of an army jeep being paraded around the protesters.

In 2016, a militant attack on another army base in Uri, where 19 soldiers were killed, had prompted the army to carry out a surgical strike in the neighbouring area under Pakistan's control. The Indian government accuses Pakistan of harbouring terrorists and have demanded the international community to declare the country as a terrorist state.