INDIAN SOLDIERS HOLD ALOFT A NATIONAL TRICOLOUR FLAG AT POINT 4875 IN DRASS, 1999-07-15 (photo)

Indian soldiers hold aloft a national tricolour flag at Point 4875, one of the peaks they captured from guerrilla infiltrators in the Drass sector of Kashmir July 15. The point was one of the key areas of battles after New Delhi launched an offensive to clear the guerrilla infiltrators on its side of the military line in Kashmir, disputed by Pakistan. Islamabad denied Indian claims that most of the guerrillas were its soldiers, but later acted under international pressure to influence the guerrillas to withdraw. It had earlier said it had no control over the "freedom fighters" against Indian rule in Kashmir. TAN/AA