The Pakistan army has claimed that it damaged an Indian post, killing three Indian soldiers, while two Pakistan troops lost their lives in retaliatory fire. Non-stop firing and shelling between the two sides has been underway for more than a week.
“Indian Cease Fire Violations (CFVs) along the Line of Control (LoC) during the last 36 hours. Responding to CFVs, in Haji Pir Sector Pakistan Army troops damaged Indian post killing three Indian soldiers including a Subedar, few injured too,” ISPR, media wing of the Pakistan armed forces said on Thursday.
The Indian army had said on Wednesday that one Indian soldier and a civilian were killed as Pakistan violated the ceasefire agreement and opened fire in north Kashmir’s Baramulla.
A Srinagar-based Army spokesman said Pakistan had resorted to heavy firing from small arms. “It also fired mortars and used artillery fire.”
The two nuclear-armed nations have accused each other of violating the 2003 ceasefire agreement over 3,000 times to date this year. In the last week, there was persistent artillery fire across the border, causing several civilians injuries on the two sides.
Tensions have escalated between the two nuclear-armed nations since 14 February, when 40 Indian security personnel were killed in a suicide bombing attack in Kashmir. A Pakistan-based terror group claimed responsibility for it. In August, India revoked the special status of Kashmir and made it a federally administered union territory, sparking the outrage of Pakistan and prompting it to raise the issue at the UN.