Pakistan forces violate truce for 10th straight day, open fire in eight J&K sectors
Officials said that on the intervening night of May 3 and 4, cross-border firing was reported in eight sectors of Jammu and Kashmir –– two in Kashmir and six in Jammu division
The Pakistan Army on Sunday continued firing along the Line of Control (LoC) for the 10th consecutive day in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, the Indian Army said.
Officials said that on the intervening night of May 3 and 4, cross-border firing was reported in eight sectors of Jammu and Kashmir –– two in Kashmir and six in Jammu division.
“During the night, Pakistan Army posts resorted to unprovoked small arms fire across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Naushera, Sunderbani, and Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir,” said Srinagar-based defence PRO, adding, “The Indian Army responded promptly and proportionately.”
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after a group of heavily armed terrorists emerged from the woods and targeted tourists on the Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam on April 22. A total of 26 people, 25 tourists and a local, were killed in the attack that was reminiscent of the heyday of terrorism in the 1990s and 2000s and the worst to rock the country since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
A day after the Pahalgam terror attack, India unveiled a raft of punitive measures, including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, closure of the only operational land border crossing at Attari, downgrading of diplomatic ties and revocation of visas for Pakistani nationals. Pakistan retaliated with counter-measures, including closing its airspace to Indian airliners and suspending all trade, including through third countries.
The latest ceasefire violation came a day after the Pakistani military test-fired the Abdali surface-to-surface ballistic missile on Saturday.
Kupwara and Uri (in Baramulla) sectors in Kashmir are becoming volatile as Pakistani and Indian forces continue to exchange fire on forward posts. Contrastingly, Keran, Gurez, Machil and Kargil sectors –– despite high troop presence on both sides –– remain largely peaceful, officials said.