BackBorder firing between Pakistan and India kills at least 13
According to BSF, Pakistani Rangers shelled Indian hamlets and security posts with mortar bombs along the International Border and LoC in Samba, Jammu and Rajouri
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New Delhi: India and Pakistan on Tuesday tallied at least 13 deaths in recent firing across their disputed border in Kashmir, where the nuclear-armed neighbours are ratcheting up shelling and small-arms fire.
According to the BSF, Pakistani Rangers shelled Indian hamlets and security posts with mortar bombs along the International Border and the Line of Control in Samba, Jammu and Rajouri districts.
“Pakistani Rangers started firing with small arms followed by mortars at one place and further spread to four or five places in Ramgarh and Arnia sectors of Samba and Jammu district from 0630 hours," DIG BSF (G) Dharmendra Pareek told the Press Trust of India.
While BSF maintained that the firing was unprovoked, Pakistan claimed that at least four people, including a woman, were killed and six injured on its side when Indian forces opened fire in different sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) on Monday.
“Indian troops have yet again resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control in Nakyal, Jandrot and Kel sectors," said a statement released by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations. The statement added that Pakistani troops “befittingly responded and targeted Indian posts".
Pakistan on Tuesday lodged an official protest over alleged ceasefire violations by Indian forces, by summoning India’s deputy high commissioner J.P. Singh.
Singh was asked to “instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit, stop targeting the villages and civilians and maintain peace on the Working Boundary and the LoC".
Meanwhile, the situation along the border continues to simmer, marked by numerous instances of ceasefire violations after a terrorist attack on an Army camp in Uri on 17 September and surgical strikes by Indian forces across the LoC on 29 September.
According to the Indian Army, there have been more than 60 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the LoC and International Border in Jammu and Kashmir ever since India launched its surgical strikes.
Pakistan officials said at least four people were killed and five injured in its part of Kashmir on Monday, as the archrivals exchanged heavy fire concentrated in Pakistan’s Nakyal sector along the Line of Control.
“It appears as if a full blown war is going on between India and Pakistan," said Mohammad Saeed, a resident of the village of Mohra in the region.
“Please have mercy and stop it," he said, speaking to Reuters by telephone amid the sound of gunshots.
PTI and Reuters contributed to this story.
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