India reported almost a dozen foreign and local militants killed by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir since 1 Jan. Three Hizb-ul-Mujahadeen militants killed in 16 Jan gunfight in Awoori, Anantnag district; confrontation sparked clashes between protesters and police while nearby villagers reportedly attempted to disrupt operation; incident reportedly prompted protests across southern Kashmir. Security forces 19 Jan killed operational commander of Lashkar-e Toiba (LeT) in Bandipore, N Jammu and Kashmir. Indian officials 24 Jan reported two LeT militants killed during security operations in Hadoora, N of Srinagar, and one unidentified militant killed near Line of Control (LoC). Clashes reported 20 Jan between police and protesters in Sopore in north during one-day general strike organised by separatists. Unidentified attackers 9 Jan killed three road construction workers in Jourian, Jammu district; motives unknown. Following World Banks’s 12 Dec halting of two arbitration processes between India and Pakistan under Indus Water Treaty (IWT), Indian officials 5 Jan proposed dispute should be resolved bilaterally or through neutral technical expert, rather than full court of arbitration as sought by Islamabad. Pakistan minister for water and power 17 Jan told senate panel India engaging in “posturing”, no immediate threat of it repudiating IWT. India’s new army chief in 3 Jan interview said strikes carried out Sept 2016 across LoC were “messaging” to terrorists, will repeat if militants continue operations on Indian territory; Pakistani counterpart 5 Jan claimed Pakistan armed forces ready to respond to any Indian aggression. Pakistan 6 Jan presented dossier to UNSG Guterres accusing India of involvement in terrorist activities in Karachi, Balochistan, and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Pakistan 9 Jan tested first submarine-launched cruise missile.

Tensions between India and Pakistan remained high as exchanges of fire between their forces along Line of Control (LoC) continued. Incidents included Indian artillery shelling 16 Dec that reportedly hit school bus in Mohra, Kotli district in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, killing driver and wounding several children. Hostile rhetoric between Indian and Pakistani officials continued. Outgoing Pakistan Army Chief Raheel Sharif 29 Nov advised India not to take Pakistan’s “policy of patience for weakness”. Indian Home Minister 11 Dec warned Pakistan would be broken “into ten pieces” if it does not stop cross-border terrorism. World Bank 12 Dec halted two Pakistani and Indian arbitration processes under 1960 Indus Water Treaty; concerned that current tensions could endanger treaty, called on countries to consider bilateral approaches to resolving conflicting interests under treaty. Clashes between security personnel and protesters in Indian-administered Kashmir continued. Two-day gun battle between security forces and suspected Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) militants in Arwani, south of Srinagar, 7-9 Dec saw two suspected militants killed and triggered anti-India protests; one protester killed and dozens reported wounded in clashes with security forces. Militant killed in clash with security forces in Anantnag district 14 Dec, sparking protests. Physicians for Human Rights NGO issued report 6 Dec accusing Indian police and paramilitary forces of using excessive indiscriminate force against protesters and blocking medical care since start of current protests July 2016. Attacks on Indian troops also continued, including 18 Dec suspected Kashmiri militant attack on convoy in Pampore, killing three soldiers. Indian policeman killed by suspected militants in northern district Kupwara 31 Dec. Indian govt 21 Dec claimed Nov demonetisation initiative has hurt militants’ finances, allegedly spurring them to carry out series of bank robberies; Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Hizbul Mujahideen denied role in robbery in Pulwarna, S Kashmir 15 Dec.

India and Pakistan continued exchanges of fire across Line of Control (LoC) throughout month, leaving scores dead and injured, mainly combatants. Indian artillery shelling 23 Nov hit passenger bus traveling toward Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, killing at least nine civilians. Pakistan PM Sharif condemned India for “naked aggression”; Indian military expressed “grief” over civilian casualties, but insisted shelling was “retaliatory” and initiated by Pakistan. Armed militants reportedly disguised as police 29 Nov attacked Indian army unit in Nagrota, Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, killing seven soldiers. Pakistan-administered Kashmir PM Raja Farooq Haider 15 Nov said 8,000 people had been evacuated from villages near border due to escalating violence after seven soldiers were killed 14 Nov in cross-border exchange of fire. India reportedly relocated some 10,000 civilians from border regions in Oct. Clashes between Indian security personnel and protesters in Indian-administered Kashmir continued, including 2 Nov clashes in Soura, on Srinagar’s outskirts, which injured over 100, mainly civilians. Fresh protests broke out 14 Nov in Srinagar and elsewhere throughout Kashmir after young boy died of injuries sustained from being hit by armoured Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicle during previous week’s clashes. Kashmiri separatist groups 16 Nov announced two-day relaxation of shutdown 19-20 Nov, first formal pause in shutdown since wave of protests began in July. Following 27 Oct expulsion of Pakistani diplomat from India, mutual accusations of espionage and withdrawal of diplomats continued. Pakistan 2 Nov withdrew six officials from Delhi; 3 Nov accused eight Indian diplomats of espionage, charging them with “coordinating terrorist and subversive activities in Pakistan under the garb of diplomatic assignments” and supporting attacks by Pakistani Taliban and Baloch separatist groups. Pakistan navy 18 Nov claimed it had blocked Indian submarine from entering Pakistan’s territorial waters two days earlier; Indian navy denied claim. Pakistan foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz 15 Nov said he would attend Heart of Asia regional conference on Afghanistan in India in Dec.

Tensions between Pakistan and India remained high as internal friction persisted in Indian-administered Kashmir, while more than twenty civilians were reportedly killed on both sides in series of clashes across Line of Control (LoC) late month, including six Pakistanis reported killed 31 Oct, seven Indians 1 Nov. Indian troops 8 Oct clashed with thousands of demonstrators in Srinagar after protests broke out in response to death of twelve-year old boy shot with pellet guns by security forces 7 Oct. Security forces re-imposed curfew in Srinagar in attempt to contain protests. Police 23 Oct said some 7,000 people, mostly youths, arrested, over 400 charged under Public Safety Act (PSA) since first wave of protests broke out 8 July, representing largest crackdown in Kashmir in over two decades, according to Indian national press. Speaking at 16 Oct BRICS conference, Indian PM Modi referred indirectly to Pakistan as “mother-ship of terrorism”; China responded praising Pakistan’s “huge efforts and great sacrifices in fighting terrorism”. China 1 Oct extended three-month “technical hold” blocking Indian request for UN sanctions against Masood Azhar, chief of banned Jaish-e-Mohammad allegedly responsible for Jan Pathankot air base attack. Following late Sept tensions surrounding Indus Water Treaty (IWT), Islamabad 20 Oct said it is closely monitoring India’s compliance. Indian FM 27 Oct announced expulsion of Pakistani diplomat Mehmood Akhtar for suspected “espionage”; Pakistan same day expelled Indian diplomat. Small clashes between alleged militants and security forces continued, including: six gunmen 2 Oct attacked Indian army camps in Baramulla district, killing one officer; Indian officials 6 Oct said military had killed three militants attempting attack on army base in Kupwara district; one political party worker and two suspected militants killed 12 Oct in separate incidents in Kupwara.

Relations between India and Pakistan reached lowest point since 2011 after four armed militants 18 Sept stormed army base in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Uri region, killing eighteen and injuring around 30. New Delhi blamed Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad for attack; Indian home minister 18 Sept accused Pakistan of complicity in transnational terrorism, called it “terrorist state”. Indian PM Modi 19 Sept called for “clear evidence of Pakistan’s complicity” in Uri attack to be presented in international forums including UNGA. Pakistan’s army chief same day said “armed forces of Pakistan are fully prepared to respond to entire spectrum of direct and indirect threat” from India. Tensions over India’s crackdown on protesters in Indian-administered Kashmir continued to build: Pakistan permanent representative to UN Human Rights Council 14 Sept called for independent UN investigation into situation in Kashmir; India responded criticising Pakistan for human rights violations in Balochistan. India 28 Sept said it would not attend South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit, major regional initiative being hosted by Pakistan in Nov; Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan joined India in boycotting summit. India decided to suspend Indus Waters Commission talks until “Pakistan-sponsored terrorism” ended, with PM Modi 26 Sept saying “blood and water cannot flow together”; Pakistan Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz said Pakistan would consider it an “act of war” if India revoked 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. India 29 Sept announced it had carried out “surgical strikes” against suspected militants along LoC; Pakistan denied strikes on its territory, said two of its soldiers had been killed by “unprovoked” Indian fire, also reported it had detained an Indian soldier; villagers reportedly evacuating on Indian side. Indian Army 20 Sept claimed to have killed ten suspected militants allegedly trying to infiltrate Uri from across LoC. Indian army 10 Sept reportedly entered most volatile regions of Kashmir, including Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag, for first time since 2014. Security forces 12 Sept claimed to have killed seven youths in three separate gunfights during two-day operation in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

Tensions between India and Pakistan rose as clashes between Indian police and protesters continued in wake of Indian security forces’ 8 July killing of Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani. At least five people reportedly killed 15 Aug in clash with police following India Independence day protests in Srinagar. Alleged militants 17 Aug killed one police officer, two soldiers following police ambush. Fresh protests erupted in several parts of Kashmir including Srinagar after Indian authorities 29 Aug lifted 52-day curfew in most of Kashmir; parts of Srinagar remained under lockdown. Security forces 31 Aug reportedly fired at protesters in Nadihal village, killing one and bringing civilian death toll to at least 69 since protests broke out in July. Protesters 3 Aug staged sit-in in Pakistan-administered Kashmir after Pakistan security forces blocked aid convoy of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JD – the renamed Laskhkar-e-Tayyaba, LeT) activists reportedly attempting to cross LoC with food and medical supplies. Pakistani Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan 4 Aug accused India of “open terrorism” in Kashmir at South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) ministerial summit in Islamabad. Indian PM Modi 12 Aug accused Pakistan of encouraging “cross-border terrorism” in Kashmir. Pakistan foreign secretary 15 Aug extended formal invitation to New Delhi for dialogue on Kashmir, Indian govt said talks should focus on cross-border terrorism; rejected Pakistan’s “self-serving allegations” of misconduct in Kashmir. UN human rights chief 17 Aug released statement requesting “full and unhindered access” to population affected by violence in Pakistan and India-administered Kashmir in order to investigate alleged human rights violations.

Indian security forces’ killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani and state’s violent crackdown on subsequent protests sparked fresh crisis in India-administered Kashmir. Wani and two other Hizbul Mujahideen members killed in southern Indian-administered Kashmir 8 July prompting scores of major protests throughout Jammu and Kashmir throughout month, with at least 49 civilians killed and over 5,000 reportedly injured in clashes with security forces. Indian authorities imposed immediate round-the-clock curfew; 15 July imposed information “blackout”, including printing ban and limited cell phone and internet coverage. Indian govt 17 July sent 2,000 additional troops. Authorities 26 July briefly lifted curfew in most of Srinagar and parts of N Kashmir, but re-imposed 27 July as unrest continued, including strikes and street protests. Pakistan’s foreign office and army chief General Raheel Sharif condemned killing of Wani and protesters. Hizb-ul-Mujahadeen leader Syed Salahuddin 13 July led rally in Pakistan-administered Kashmir capital Muzaffarabad, accusing India of genocide of Kashmiris. Pakistan senate 18 July passed unanimous resolution protesting violence in Indian-administered Kashmir; Indian home minister blamed Pakistan for orchestrating bloodshed.

Indian National Investigation Agency Director General Sharad Kumar 2 June reported that inquiry into Jan 2016 Pathankot air base attacks had produced strong evidence implicating Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Masood Azhar and his brother Rauf; found no evidence to suggest direct involvement of Pakistani govt or intelligence agencies. Violent clashes between militants and Indian armed forces continued: suspected militants 25 June killed eight police, injured twenty in attack on convoy outside Srinagar; Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) claimed responsibility. At least fifteen soldiers and rebels reportedly killed in five other clashes during month. Heavy gunfire broke out 20 June between security forces and militants following reported arrest of top LeT commander Abu Ukasha in Kupwara district. At least 30 people reportedly injured in clashes with police during protests in Srinagar against Indian govt’s new industrial policy.

Violence increased late month: police reported they killed leader and another member of Pakistani militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed in Srinagar 23 May. Three police shot dead in Srinagar 24 May; one policeman and one civilian killed in separate attacks by gunmen 25 May; one soldier and six suspected militants killed in two separate encounters in Baramulla district 27 May, one involving gun battle with separatists allegedly trying to cross Line of Control.

Tensions between India and Pakistan increased following Pakistan’s 24 March arrest of Indian national accused of being spy for Indian intelligence Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Balochistan’s Frontier Corps commander 2 April said spy’s activities demonstrated Balochistan’s armed movement was “Indian state sponsored”. Pakistan’s High Commissioner in New Delhi 7 April said India-Pakistan dialogue process suspended. Indian and Pakistani FMs met on sidelines of Heart of Asia regional summit in New Delhi 26 April, first meeting between the two since Jan militant attack on Indian airbase in Pathankot in Punjab near Pakistani border; no significant progress reported. Indian National Investigation Agency director general 1 April said Pakistan’s Joint Investigation Team, which arrived in India late March to investigate Pathankot attack, was given “concrete evidence” of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed involvement in attack. Pakistan military 9 April said Indian forces “resorted to heavy unprovoked firing and shelling” across Line of Control. Clashes between Indian soldiers and insurgents continued. Four killed in violent clashes between protestors and Indian police in areas of Indian-administered Kashmir including Handwara and Srinagar 12 April, following allegations that Indian soldier molested girl; authorities imposed curfews. Anti-India protests broke out 7 April in Shopian after two suspected insurgents killed in gun battle.