Pak troops celebrate Independence Day by shelling Indian posts

Violating the ceasefire again, Pakistani troops pounded Indian posts and civilian areas along the LoC with 82 mm mortar shells and fired from automatic weapons in Poonch district.

There have been 28 violations of the 2003 ceasefire in August this year and this is the fifth consecutive day that Pakistani troops have shelled Indian posts along the LoC in Jammu region.

Pakistan troops resorted to firing with automatic weapons and 82 mm mortar bombs on forward posts and civilian areas in Shahpur Kerni belt of Poonch district from 0815 hours on Friday, a Defence Spokesman said.

Pakistani troops also fired on forward posts along the LoC in Balakote belt with automatic, small arms and mortar bombs around 1915 hours on Thursday night till midnight, he said.

India troops fired back and exchanges are going on, he said, adding there was no casualty or injury to anyone in the firing so far.

There have been four ceasefire violations in three sectors of Krishnagati, Bhimbhergali and Pallanwala in Poonch, Rajouri and Jammu districts in intervening night of August 12-13, they said.

There was firing from Pakistan between 2000 hours to 2015 hours in KG sector, 1230 hours to 0130 hours in BG sector and 0100 to 0110 hours and 0415 hours to 0510 hours on Thursday morning in Pallanwala sector overnight.

Last month, there were 19 ceasefire violations in which four persons, including three jawans, were killed and 14 others injured.

Pakistan violated the ceasefire 192 times along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir till July 26, the government had told Lok Sabha.

0n August 12, Pakistani troops had targeted Army posts and civilian areas with automatic weapons, mortar bombs and rockets in Sabzian-Mandi and Poonch sectors.

A youth was killed and two others, including a BSF jawan, were injured when Pakistani troops targeted border outposts and hamlets along the International Border in 4 sectors of Kanachak, Pargwal, Tawi and R S Pura in Jammu district on August 4.

Three civilians and a jawan were injured in violations on August 7 and 8.