India, Pakistan border flare-up kills 4 in Kashmir
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, January 4, 2015
Four people were killed and 12 others wounded Saturday on both sides of disputed Kashmir in skirmishes between troops India and Pakistan, officials said.
An Indian military official said Pakistan military fired a rocket on their barrack in Tangdhar, close to Line of Control (LoC) in frontier Kupwara district, about 152 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. "Last night Pakistani military fired rockets on our posts, following which fire broke out in one of our barracks in Tanghdar, " a military officer said pleading anonymity. "In the incident two troopers were killed and two others suffered wounds."
The officer, not authorized to talk to media, said wounded troopers were immediately hospitalized.
Earlier during the day, Indian officials said Pakistan Rangers targeted their posts on the International Border (IB) in Samba and Hiranagar sectors, about 53 km south of Jammu city, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, killing a woman and wounding nine others. The official broadcaster of Pakistan, Radio Pakistan, quoting Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said Saturday an 13-year old girl was killed and an eight year old boy was wounded in Indian firing on working boundary near Sialkot on their side.
Officials said the deadly skirmishes started Friday night and continued until Saturday morning.
Both New Delhi and Islamabad accuse each other of resorting to unprovoked firings and violating cease-fire agreements. And both sides maintain their troops gave befitting reply to the other side.
Meanwhile, the fresh exchanges have triggered fear among the residents living close to IB. Reports said 1,400 people in affected villages have left their houses for safer locations.
A government spokesman in Indian-controlled Kashmir said civil and police officers have made arrangements for people affected due to cross-border firing.
"The officers have been asked to make all necessary arrangements for safeguarding the life and property of the people, " the spokesman said. "Police has been asked to provide bullet proof vehicles for shifting of people from zero line to safer zones."
The officials have been urged to issue advisory in wake of the shelling.The top officials from both the countries have issued stern statements reprimanding each other.
The troops of India and Pakistan intermittently exchange fire on the 720 km-long LoC and 198 km IB in Kashmir, despite an agreement in 2003 to observe cease-fire. Though some violations have been reported on both sides, the cease-fire, however, remains in effect.
Indian officials said last year 564 cease-fire violations - 411 along IB and 153 violations along LoC - were recorded.
During the deadly skirmishes 20 people including six Indian troopers were killed and over 150 wounded on this side. Pakistani side, according to reports, also suffered causalities in the stand- off.
LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts. The LoC on both sides is guarded by army, while IB is guarded by Border Security Force (BSF) on Indian side and Pakistan Rangers on the other side.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)