Curfew lifted but strike hits in Indian Kashmir

A curfew was lifted from most of Indian-administered Kashmir yesterday, but a strike called by separatists to protest against recent civilian killings kept shops and offices closed.
Indian security forces have been struggling to control a wave of demonstrations in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley after being accused of killing 15 civilians -- many of them teenagers -- in a month.
A police officer who declined to be named told AFP the curfew had been lifted except in some restive parts of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir.
The curfew had been imposed in Srinagar last Tuesday to contain protests after three people were killed in firing by police and paramilitary troops.
Much of Kashmir remained shut down on Sunday after hardline separatists urged people to observe a strike to protest against Indian rule of the region and the civilian deaths.
Thousands of security personnel patrolled the deserted streets of Srinagar.
Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan each hold Kashmir in part but claim it in full.
The nuclear-armed nations have fought two of their three wars over the Himalayan region since the subcontinent's partition in 1947.