South Asia

Pakistan resumes firing at Indian border posts

A girl holds a candle as she takes part with others in a peace vigil for the global standout for peace in South Asia, in Lahore, Pakistan March 3, 2019. REUTERS/Mohsin Raza

Breaking a two-day lull, Pakistan's troops today resorted to firing from mortars and small arms targeting Indian forward posts and villages along the de facto border in Akhnoor sector of Jammu and Kashmir, Indian defence officials said.

There was no report of any casualty on the Indian side, the spokesman said adding that "the firing from across the border started at around 0300 hours and stopped at 0630 hours (Indian time)."

He said Pakistani army initiated the firing using mortars and small arms on forward posts and villages.

"The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively," the spokesman added.

The guns had fallen silent all along the Line of Control since Friday night.

Except a two-hour cross-border firing in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on Saturday afternoon, the guns had fallen silent all along the Line of Control since Friday night.

The break in the cross-border exchange of fire had come as a big relief for the residents of villages along the border, especially in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri, where Pakistan had violated ceasefire for over 50 times, killing four persons including three members of a family and injuring several others last week.

The truce violations by Pakistan witnessed a spurt after India's air strike at Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror camp in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on February 26 in a "pre-emptive" action following the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group's February suicide bombing in Pulwama.

Indian Army chief Gen Bipin C Rawat had visited forward locations in Samba and Ratnuchak sectors of Jammu and reviewed the prevailing security scenario along the border.

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Pakistan resumes firing at Indian border posts

A girl holds a candle as she takes part with others in a peace vigil for the global standout for peace in South Asia, in Lahore, Pakistan March 3, 2019. REUTERS/Mohsin Raza

Breaking a two-day lull, Pakistan's troops today resorted to firing from mortars and small arms targeting Indian forward posts and villages along the de facto border in Akhnoor sector of Jammu and Kashmir, Indian defence officials said.

There was no report of any casualty on the Indian side, the spokesman said adding that "the firing from across the border started at around 0300 hours and stopped at 0630 hours (Indian time)."

He said Pakistani army initiated the firing using mortars and small arms on forward posts and villages.

"The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively," the spokesman added.

The guns had fallen silent all along the Line of Control since Friday night.

Except a two-hour cross-border firing in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district on Saturday afternoon, the guns had fallen silent all along the Line of Control since Friday night.

The break in the cross-border exchange of fire had come as a big relief for the residents of villages along the border, especially in the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri, where Pakistan had violated ceasefire for over 50 times, killing four persons including three members of a family and injuring several others last week.

The truce violations by Pakistan witnessed a spurt after India's air strike at Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror camp in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on February 26 in a "pre-emptive" action following the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group's February suicide bombing in Pulwama.

Indian Army chief Gen Bipin C Rawat had visited forward locations in Samba and Ratnuchak sectors of Jammu and reviewed the prevailing security scenario along the border.

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