MOSCOW, November 8 (RIA Novosti) —The Indian Army acknowledged its fault in the accidental killing of two teenagers in the Kashmir region, governed by Indian authorities, AFP reported on Saturday.
"We sincerely wish that the killing of civilians wouldn't have happened. We share the sorrow of the families," the army's Northern Command chief, Lt. Gen. D.H. Hooda said on Friday, cited by Indo Asian News Service. "We take responsibility for the death of the two boys in Kashmir," he added.
The two teenagers were killed as soldiers, who had mixed them up with a group of terrorists, had fired on their car. Two other passengers were seriously injured.
Indian Army officials announced that a thorough inquiry into the incident would be conducted. They also expressed willingness to cooperate with any other investigations into the case.
Kashmir has been a conflict region for more than 60 years, disputed by Indian authorities and Pakistan. Three wars over Kashmir have broken out since 1947 when India and Pakistan became independent from British rule. However, neither nation has offered a concrete solution, with the region remaining a troubled topic in the countries’ relations. The clashes between Indian forces and pro-Pakistan rebel groups, who are considered terrorists, are still ongoing, frequently affecting innocent civilians.
