Omar Abdullah pays homage to soldiers killed by militants

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday paid homage to the deceased soldiers who were killed in Thursday's militant attacks in Samba District.

Abdullah and senior army personnel paid tribute to the deceased in Jammu District.

It maybe recalled that militants dressed in Indian army uniforms attacked policemn and army soldiers in Kathua and Samba Districts. In all, 12 persons, including the three militants died in the encounters.

A group of three gunmen attacked a police station in the morning, about 10 kilometres (6 miles) from the border with Pakistan, killing five policemen. They then hijacked a truck and raided an army camp, security forces said. One civilian was killed.

The militants killed three soldiers during hours of fighting at the camp, near the town of Samba.

India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over Muslim-majority Kashmir, which they both claim in full but rule in part.

India has accused Pakistan of supporting militants fighting security forces in Indian Kashmir since 1989.

Militant strikes in Kashmir, as well as shooting and mortar fire between Indian and Pakistani forces across the border, have risen this year after a decade of falling violence.

While Prime Minister Singh strongly condemned what he called a "heinous terrorist attack" he suggested the meeting With Sharif, expected on Sunday, would go ahead.

According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, which tracks violence in Kashmir, 128 people, including 44 security personnel, have been killed in the region this year, before the latest attack. That compares with 117 people killed in 2012.