Four Indian Army personnel injured in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch after Pakistan violates ceasefire along LoC

Jammu: Four Army personnel suffered minor splinter injuries in mortar shelling by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, officials said on Monday. [caption id=“attachment_1813981” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. PTI[/caption] “Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing of small arms and intense shelling with mortars in Balakote area of Mendhar sector around 10:30 PM on Sunday,” Army public relations officer Lieutenant Colonel Devender Anand said. “Indian Army retaliated befittingly,” he added. “Indian troopers suffered minor injuries in the Pakistani shelling and the injured have been evacuated to hospital where they are under treatment,” he said in a statement. Officials said an Army column was on an ambush duty near the LoC when two mortar shells exploded near them around 12:30 am, causing injuries to at least four of them. The condition of the injured is stated to be stable, the officials said. On Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs said the Pakistan Army had resorted to more than 2,050 unprovoked ceasefire violations this year, in which 21 Indians were killed. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had said India had repeatedly called upon Pakistan to ask its forces to adhere to the 2003 ceasefire understanding and maintain peace and tranquillity along the LoC and International Border.