Soldiers, civilians among dead in Kashmir

soldiers and one civilian. Islamabad said one of its soldiers and three civilians died after India violated the ceasefire, according to the spokesman for the Pakistani Armed Forces.

Tensions between the two countries have flared and there has been intermittent crossborder firing since Aug. 5 when New Delhi flooded Kashmir with troops to quell unrest after it revoked the region’s special autonomous status.

Islamabad has warned that changing Kashmir’s status would escalate tensions but India says the withdrawal of special status is an internal affair and is aimed at faster economic development of the territory.

There was an unprovoked ceasefire violation by Pakistan, said Indian defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia. “Our troops retaliated strongly causing heavy damage and casualties to the enemy,” Kalia said.

Right to respond

An Indian army source said the shelling was cover to assist militants to enter India, because of which a “calibrated escalation of area weapons was undertaken”. The Indian army “retains the right to respond at a time and place of it’s choosing” if the Pakistani army continues to do this, he said.

Pakistan, meanwhile, also claimed that India’s attack was unprovoked and deliberately targeted at civilians.

Major General Asif Ghafoor, a spokesman for the Pakistan Armed Forces, said Pakistan responded “effectively,” killing nine Indian soldiers, injuring several others and destroying 2 bunkers.

“The Indian army shall always get a befitting response,” he said.

Indian forces in Kashmir have gone “berserk”, Raja Farooq Haider, prime minister of Pakistan’s Azad Kashmir region, said, adding that six civilians died and 8 were injured.

“This is the height of savagery. The world must not stay silent over it. #KashmirNeedsAttention,” he said in a tweet.