Indian troops killed three Kashmiri youth in the outskirts of occupied Kashmir’s main city, ending a nearly 18-hour-long gunbattle, officials said on Sunday. Indian paramilitary spokesman Sanjay Sharma said the three fighters were killed on Sunday in the outskirts of Srinagar. Two police officials and a soldier were wounded, he said. Sharma said Indian troops had laid a siege around a neighborhood on Saturday on a tip that fighters were hiding there. The fighting sparked anti-India protests and clashes as residents tried to march to the site of the battle in solidarity with the fighters. Indian forces fired warning shots, shotgun pellets and tear gas at the stone-throwing protesters. No one was immediately reported injured. Residents said Indian forces blew up at least five houses with explosives during the fighting, a common tactic employed by Indian troops in occupied Kashmir. Published in Daily Times, December 10th 2018.