Pakistan violates ceasefire, targets border outposts in Samba

Jammu: Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by resorting to brief firing on border outposts (BoPs) along International Border (IB) in Samba district, drawing retaliation from BSF. [caption id=“attachment_2400740” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] “Pakistan Rangers resorted to three rounds of firing on a BoP along IB in Samba sector around 2230 hours,” a senior BSF officer said on Thursday. “We also retaliated with few rounds from this side,” he said, adding that there was no casualty or injury to anyone. There have been 51 violations of the border ceasefire agreement of 2003 by Pakistan in August and over 245 ceasefire violations this year so far. On Wednesday, Pakistan troops violated the ceasefire twice by resorting to heavy shelling of 120 mm, 81 mm and 60 mm mortar bombs on civilian areas and army posts along the LoC in Hamirpur and Mendhar sectors of Poonch district from 1.30 pm to 7.30 pm to which our troops responded effectively, a defence spokesman said. On 18 August night, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire thrice and resorted to firing on forward posts along the LoC in Balakote, Bhimbergali (BG) and Poonch sectors. Expanding the arch of its targets, Pakistani troops violated ceasefire twice and pounded civilian areas and military positions along the IB in RS Pura and Arnia sectors of Jammu district besides 3 ceasefire violations in Poonch, Balakote and Hamirpur sectors in Poonch district on intervening night of 17-18 August, injuring a villager. On the intervening night of 16-17 August, Pakistan troops had resorted to ceasefire violations in Saujiyan and Mandi sectors of Poonch district and shelled forward posts and civilian areas with 120 mm and 82 mm mortar bombs and heavy machine guns (HMGs). On 16 August, a woman was killed and five persons were injured as Pakistani troops fired 120 mm and 82 mm mortars bombs, HMGs and RPGs on border posts and civilian areas in Poonch and Rajouri districts. There have been repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the over 110-km long borderline in Poonch, Sujiyan, Balakote, Hamirpur, Mandi sectors in Poonch district and Manjakote sector in Rajouri district between 15 and 16 August. On Independence Day, five civilians, including a sarpanch, were killed and five others injured in heavy firing and mortar bomb shelling by Pakistani troops at several Indian posts and civilian areas. Last month, there were 19 ceasefire violations in which four persons, including three jawans, were killed and 14 others injured. PTI