Militants dismiss India's cease-fire

Kashmiri separatists believe the ceasefire is just a ploy

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- A coalition of militant guerilla groups is dismissing India's announcement of a three-month cease-fire extension in the troubled Kashmir region as a propaganda ploy.

The United Jihad Council said it would continue to fight against what they consider India's occupation of Kashmir until a permanent solution is found, one that "meets the wishes of the people."

Just hours after the cease-fire was extended, four people were killed and eight wounded in separatist violence, according to Kashmir police.

They say two militants were killed in clashes in one border district, while a police officer was killed when rebels fired at an official car.

The leader of the Kashmir-based All Parties Huriyat Conference says he was also the target of an assassination attempt earlier Thursday.

The conference is the political face of Kashmir's separatist guerilla groups. Its leader told CNN.com that he knew who had tried to kill him, using a live grenade attached to a vehicle, but would not say who his would-be assassins were.

Local Kashmiri police claim the assassination attempt was carried out by Kashmiri militants.

Call for cooperation

On Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said his government would extend the cease-fire by three months.

He offered an olive branch to Kashmiri groups who opted for peace, saying he would begin talks with those that renounced violence.

But he also warned groups looking to sabotage the cease-fire that Indian security forces had been instructed to "act decisively against those organizations or elements that are against the peace process."

It was not immediately clear whether this meant offensives could resume against the hardline militant outfits that India blames for recent daring attacks on security forces and installations.

Kashmiri separatists say the cease-fire cloaks acts of Indian repression

The militants, for their part, believe India continues to carry out what they call acts of repression, including crackdowns, rape, arson, as well as search and siege operations during the cease-fire.

India has accused Pakistan of sponsoring violent acts in Kashmir by funding the militant groups operating in the region.

Vajpayee called on Pakistan to help the cease-fire by ending its attempts to promote cross border terrorism.

Politicians apprehensive

But Vajpayee's plan to extend the cease-fire did not win complete support from India's political opposition.

Hindu nationalist leader Bal Thackeray is condemning what he calls the government's soft approach to the separatists.

"They [the militants] didn't care for women and children; [they were] simply shot dead-simply. I mean do you expect people to tolerate this kind of nonsense? The atmosphere is such that there can be a revolution at any time in the country," Thakeray told CNN's Satinder Bindra.

Official figures show that more than 240 people have been killed since the unilateral cease-fire went into effect in November last year.

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