Prayer held in Durban for soldiers killed in Kashmir

Durban - About 200 mourners, dressed in white, are expected to gather at the Durban Amphitheatre at North Beach on Sunday morning.

Led by various religious leaders they will pray for the over 40 Indian soldiers who were killed in a bomb attack in Kashmir, India.

The attack on Thursday was one of the deadliest in Kashmir’s history.

The Indian Association of SA (Iasa) is hosting the interfaith prayer for the soldiers.

The event starts at 9am. Guest speakers include Dr Ela Gandhi and eThekwini deputy mayor Fawzia Peer.

Iasa founder and president, Amit More, said the public was invited to join Iasa to pray for peace in the world.

More said, “two of the soldiers were from Maharashtra, the (state) in India where I was born. Even though I didn’t know them personally, I couldn’t sleep the whole night because of the attack on our soldiers”.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said “the thoughts of South Africans are with the people and the government of India during this trying time”.

According to Associated Press the soldiers were part of a Central Reserve Police Force convoy travelling along a highway near the town of Pulwama in the India-controlled region of Kashmir.

Security officials said a local Kashmiri militant rammed an explosive-laden van into a bus carrying at least 35 soldiers.

Dozens of soldiers who were in the 78-vehicle convoy were critically injured.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since British rule ended in 1947.

Militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed, based in Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Sunday Tribune