As Gunfire Shakes Kashmir, Sabers Rattle in New Delhi

Fierce gunfire across the India-Pakistan border and attacks by militants killed at least 15 people in Kashmir over the weekend, as India considered Sunday whether to take further military action against its rival.

The most intense cross-border firing this year came after India expelled Pakistan’s ambassador on Saturday amid high tensions. India accuses Pakistan of sponsoring the militants, who are battling its forces in Kashmir, which is divided between the two nations.

Pakistan denies arming and training the militants, and has cracked down on them since President Pervez Musharraf threw his support behind the U.S.-led war on terrorism. Pakistan says, however, that it supports the goal of independence for the disputed region.

On Sunday, suspected Islamic guerrillas fired at an Indian military camp about 95 miles north of Jammu, in Indian-ruled Kashmir, killing four soldiers and wounding 12, state police spokesman Subhash Raina said. One of the attackers was killed, he said.

“We want to make it clear that the Indian army will retaliate immediately, every time there is any such assault committed by Pakistan,” Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh said.

Indian army officials said small-arms fire across the border was relentless Sunday, and that both sides exchanged heavy mortar fire overnight, forcing thousands of villagers to flee their homes.

Three Indian civilians were killed Saturday, the officials said. In Islamabad, Pakistani Information Minister Nisar Memon said that “unprovoked” Indian shelling had killed seven Pakistanis and wounded 41 since Saturday.

On Sunday, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee met with opposition leader Sonia Gandhi amid growing political support for a military strike against Pakistan. He huddled into the night with his key ministers and three military chiefs to map out India’s next move.