Pak targets border posts in Jammu in fresh firing

After a brief lull, Pakistan on Saturday again violated the ceasefire by firing on forward posts along the Line of Control in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, drawing retaliation from India.

Pakistani troops resorted to firing on forward Indian posts along the LoC in Banwat sector of Poonch district from 13:00 hours, a senior army officer told PTI.

Indian troops guarding the border, took positions and retaliated resulting in exchanges which were going on when last reports came from the area, he said. There was no loss of life on our side, the officer said.

The last instance of firing by Pakistan along the 192-km International Border was when its Rangers targeted four BSF Border Out Posts in the Hiranagar sector of Kathua district for 20 minutes on Thursday night.

The IB has witnessed heavy firing from October 1-9 that has left eight persons dead and 90 people injured, including 13 security men.

Besides over 32,000 people have fled from their border homes leaving 113 hamlets deserted along the IB.

India and Pakistan troops traded heavy fire along the IB on the intervening night of October 7 and 8 after Pakistan Rangers shelled almost the entire IB by targeting 60 Border Out Posts and over 130 border hamlets in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir, in which 15 people including 3 BSF jawans were injured.

There have been over three dozen ceasefire violations along the IB since October 1.

Image: Indian Army soldiers stand guard along the Line of Control