Attack raises India-Pakistan tensions

Indian soldiers took their positions during Tuesday's raid

NEW DELHI, India -- India's prime minister says his country must respond to a deadly rebel attack in disputed Kashmir that has been blamed on nuclear foe Pakistan.

During an address to parliament, Atal Behari Vajpayee called Tuesday's raid in the Indian-controlled side of the disputed Kashmir region "a deplorable act, that must be formally opposed."

The attack, blamed on Pakistani-based Islamic militants, was the deadliest in eight months in the Himalayan region, which is at the heart of a tense military standoff between the two neighbors.

The President of the United States, George W. Bush, meanwhile, has called Vajpayee to voice his condolences for the attack in which more than 30 people were killed.

GALLERY State of violence     CNN NewsPass VIDEO CNN's Satinder Bindra reports India blames Pakistan for the deadly attack in Kashmir that killed 31 people, including 12 children and 10 women. Play video   IN-DEPTH KASHMIR: Where conflict rules     CNN.com Asia More news from our Asia edition

In a statement issued by the White House, Bush said:

"The United States condemns the terrorist attack carried out by militants in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday.

"On behalf of the American people, I extend my condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Jammu and Kashmir, whose citizens were killed in this attack.

"Yesterday's attack was also aimed at destroying opportunities for South Asia to build a future that is more stable, more peaceful and more prosperous. We will not allow terrorists to succeed in this larger mission.

"The United States will not yield in its determination to work with the people of South Asia to fight terrorism and to build a better future."

India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, and have hundreds of thousands of troops on war alert along their frontier following a December raid on India's parliament.

The attack this week came as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca was in India as part of Washington's latest bid to ease tensions between the two countries.

Train young people

After visiting the site of the attack in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, India's defense minister Wednesday blamed Pakistan for the violence a day earlier that left at least 33 people dead and 40 wounded.

"Pakistan is directly responsible for this," George Fernandes said. "They train young people to send them here to spread terrorism. What else can we expect from them."

The attack took place in Kaluchak after Muslim militants opened fire on an Indian army camp.

Pakistan has condemned the attack.

Vajpayee said he would call an all-party meeting to discuss India's response after Fernandes returns from the region.

Rocca, who heads to Pakistan on Wednesday, called the incident "pure, naked terrorism" during her visit to the Indian capital city Wednesday.

"We are worried about the continued mobilization of both armies facing each other," Rocca told reporters, shortly before departing to Islamabad, Pakistan.

"A spark could lead to an unintended conflict."

Drawn-out conflict

A previously unknown rebel group -- al-Mansoorain -- claimed responsibility for the attack. The local news agency NAFA told CNN that the claim came in a phone call to its office.

More than a dozen Islamic groups have been fighting for Kashmir's independence from India since the militant insurgency began in 1989.

Authorities say that around 30,000 people have been killed during the campaign in the Muslim majority state.

India accuses Islamabad of arming and training Pakistan-based militant groups but Pakistan denies the charges, saying instead it only provides moral and diplomatic support for Kashmiri separatists.

India controls about 45 percent of Muslim-majority Kashmir, Pakistan a third and China the rest.