Soldier dies as Pak troops open fire along LoC in north Kashmir

TRUCE VIOLATION Armies exchanged fire in Uri and Machil sectors

SRINAGAR: An Indian Army soldier was killed when Pakistani army opened fire across the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir on Thursday, officials said.

Officials said Indian and Pakistani armies exchanged fire in Uri (Baramulla district) and Machil (Kupwara district) sectors. “Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Machil sector of Kupwara district at around 1045 hours today (Thursday). Own troops retaliated strongly. One soldier martyred in enemy fire,” army spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia said.

The Pakistanis used automatics and mortar shells. A civilian house was damaged in the Pakistan shelling in Kamalkote area.

“There was exchange of fire on Wednesday, then it happened again during the night and in the morning on Thursday,” said sub divisional magistrate (SDM), Uri, Baseer-ul-Haq.

He said that two soldiers were hospitalised after sustaining injuries on Wednesday while a family was evacuated from a house that was damaged due to shelling on Thursday.

“There was shelling on Kamalkote border post during the night. An empty shed was damaged in the shelling. The family living in the house has been shifted,” Haq said. The movement of trucks, as

part of cross-LoC trade has been suspended through Kaman Post. “Kamalkote border post is adjacent to Kaman Post, so the deputy commissioner decided to suspend the trade for the day. It may resume on Friday,” said Haq.

SPIKE IN VIOLATION

Neighbours India and Pakistan, who have fought at-least three wars since 1947, had agreed in 2003 to maintain peace along the border, but violations intensified after bilateral relations plummeted in 2016.

At least 109 people, including 56 security personnel, were killed in 2,855 incidents of cross-border firing and ceasefire violations by

Pakistani forces along the border in Jammu and Kashmir between January 2016 and July this year, an RTI response has revealed.

The spike in ceasefire violations have killed dozens and often force thousands of people living along the border to flee their villages. The border exchange of fire also affects the cross-LoC trade which was started in 2008 after the leadership of India and Pakistan agreed for confidence building measures to ease out relations between the two countries often at odds over Kashmir region.

Till July, there were 1,435 ceasefire violations by Pakistan as compared to 449 in 2016 and 971 in 2017.