Indian PM: Violence in Indian-controlled Kashmir on the ebb

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday said militant violence in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir has fallen to its lowest level since its beginning. "The year 2012 saw a significant improvement in the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir," Singh said in his address to the chief ministers' annual conference on internal security in New Delhi - the Indian capital city. "Our strategy to prevent cross-border infiltration by militants and our intelligence based counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir have resulted in a decline in the level of terrorist violence by about one-third in 2012 as compared to 2011. In fact, terrorist violence parameters in 2012 have been the lowest since the upsurge in terrorist activities two decades ago." Singh said the record inflow of tourists and pilgrims during 2012 also points to an improved security situation in the region. A guerrilla war is going on between militants and stationed Indian troops in the region since 1989. Militants target Indian troops and policemen besides engage them in gunfights across Indian-controlled Kashmir. Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their Independence from British, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.