KILLED FIVE INDIAN SOLDIERS, SAYS PAK

Pakistan’s army claimed it killed five Indian soldiers when it destroyed their post in Kashmir in retaliation to sniper fire. An Indian Army official, however, said the claim was “baseless”.

ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI: Pakistan’s army on Friday claimed it killed five Indian soldiers when it destroyed their post in Kashmir in retaliation to sniper fire that struck a school van, allegedly killing the driver.

Pakistan Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor and other officials said the Indian post near Tatta Pani village was “destroyed” late Thursday after alleged sniper fire earlier in the day hit a school van carrying children in Pakistan’s part of Kashmir. Ghafoor said Pakistan will always respond to “Indian terrorism against innocent citizens.”

In a tweet, Ghaffor late on Thursday shared a video clip purportedly showing bombing of the Indian Army post and smoke billowing from the site after it was hit by fire.

An Indian Army official in New Delhi said the Pakistan Army’s claim is “baseless”. The army has also said there was no ceasefire violation from its side on Thursday.

Pakistan says gunfire hit a Pakistani school van days after India said gunmen belonging to the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed were behind a weekend attack on an army camp in Kashmir.

MILITANTS ESCAPE

SRINAGAR: Militants, who were surrounded by police personnel in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, escaped after a brief shoot-out, police said. The gunfight between security forces and the militants started early morning. “Operation was launched after we got information about their presence in the area. The militants, however, fired indiscriminately and managed to escape taking advantage of darkness,” a police spokesperson said.