J&K: Pakistan violates ceasefire with heavy firing on LoC, international border

Jammu and Kashmir: Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire twice by firing on forward posts along the LoC and International Border in Poonch and Jammu districts, drawing retaliation from the Army. There have been four ceasefire violations along the IB and LoC in Jammu and Poonch districts during the past over 24 hours. “Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire and resorted to small arms and automatic weapons firing on Indian posts along the LoC in Hamirpur sector of Poonch district around 2055 hours last night, a senior Army officer said today. Indian troops gave a befitting reply to the Pakistani firing, resulting in exchanges which continued till 2120 hours. There was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the firing. Pakistani rangers resorted to firing on BoPs in Makwal and Allah Mahi Da Kothay (AMK) areas in Jammu district last evening, a BSF officer said, adding, “it was a minor firing”. [caption id=“attachment_753855” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational Image. AP[/caption] Earlier, Pakistani troops had violated the ceasefire in Hamirpur sector twice on Thursday night and Friday morning, drawing retaliation from Indian troops. Pakistan had earlier violated the ceasefire by resorting to firing and mortar shelling along the LoC in Saujian-Kirni-Shahpur belts of Poonch on October 15 in which seven-year-old Riyaz of Kuiyian Gotirian village was injured. Meanwhile, a villager injured in Pakistani mortar shelling succumbed to injuries in Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital yesterday, taking the toll to nine in recent incidents of ceasefire violations. The IB and LoC in Jammu region have witnessed heavy firing and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops since 1 October, leaving nine persons dead and over 95 injured, including 13 security men. Around 30,000 people have fled their border homes leaving 113 hamlets deserted along the IB. PTI