Pakistan violates ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, fires automatic weapons

The Pakistan Army carried another ceasefire violation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. ANI reported that the Pakistani side fired automatic weapons and mortars in the Kamal Koot area in Baramulla district’s Uri sector. On Wednesday, four civilians were killed and nine others were injured in heavy mortar shelling and firing by Pakistani troops at Indian villages and border posts in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts. Wednesday was the ninth day of continuous firing and shelling by Pakistan along the international border and LoC in Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts. Over 40,000 border villagers have been forced to migrate from their homes due to the targetted firing by Pakistan. [caption id=“attachment_4480693” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. PTI[/caption] India summoned Pakistan’s Deputy High Commissioner to India Syed Haider Shah on Wednesday and lodged a “strong protest” at the  loss of life of a eight-month-old infant in unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistan in Bhimber sector on 21 May. “It was conveyed that the deliberate targeting of innocent civilians, who are located away from the forward line of defences, by Pakistan forces using small arms and high calibre weapons is highly deplorable and condemned in the strongest terms,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. “Targeting of innocent civilians including young children is against all established humanitarian norms and professional military conduct. Pakistan authorities were called upon to investigate into such heinous acts of killing innocent civilians and instruct its forces to desist from such acts immediately.” More than 1,088 such violations have been carried out by Pakistan forces at the Line of Control and International Boundary so far during 2018 which have led to loss of 36 lives and injuries to 127 persons. The latest round of shelling started on 15 May when the BSF foiled two infiltration attempts by Pakistan-backed infiltrators in Samba sector and intensified a day after Pakistan "pleaded" with the BSF to stop firing  on being pounded with heavy artillery that left a trooper dead across the border on 20 May. With inputs from agencies