2 Indian soldiers die in Kashmir flare-up
SRINAGAR, India — Two Indian soldiers were killed and another wounded in Pakistani firing in Kashmir, the Indian military said Saturday, as tensions continued to escalate along the volatile and highly militarized frontier between the archrivals in the disputed Himalayan region.
Pakistan’s military said a young woman was wounded when Indian soldiers fired rockets and mortars along the frontier on Friday. In the past, the countries have accused each other of starting border skirmishes in the divided region, which both claim in its entirety.
Col. Rajesh Kalia, an Indian army spokesman, said Pakistani soldiers late Friday targeted forward posts in the western Uri area along the Line of Control dividing Kashmir between the two countries. He said the attack was a violation of the 2003 cease-fire accord.
Kalia said three soldiers were wounded, with two of them dying at a hospital. Indian soldiers “retaliated strongly,” he said, a phrase used after almost every such confrontation.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement that it summoned an Indian diplomat on Saturday to protest alleged cease-fire violations that wounded a young woman.
It said Indian forces “have continuously been targeting civilian populated areas with artillery fire, heavy-caliber mortars and automatic weapons.” It accused India of 940 cease-fire violations this year.
According to Indian officials, Pakistan had violated the cease-fire over 800 times this year through the first week of March.