Pakistan has been violating the ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir continuously since April 23 after the Pahalgam terror attack.
At least 13 civilians were killed in the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir during intense firing and shelling by Pakistani forces along the Line of Control (LoC) on Wednesday, according to the Ministry of External Affair. In addition, 59 people sustained injuries, including 44 in Poonch, as a result of Pakistan’s ceasefire violations across the LoC.
The Pakistan Army has been resorting to heavy shelling in several sectors along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir that was effectively responded to by the Indian Army, military officials said. The intensity of Pakistani shelling has increased following India’s military strikes on nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir early Wednesday.
Army soldier killed in the firing
Indian Army soldier Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar from the 5-Field Regiment was also killed in unprovoked Pakistani shelling across the LoC.
The White Knight Corps on Wednesday confirmed the supreme sacrifice of Lance Naik. “The GOC (general officer commanding) and all ranks of White Knight Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of L/Nk Kumar of 5 Fd Regt, who laid down his life on May 7 during Pakistan Army shelling. We also stand in solidarity with all victims of the targeted attacks on innocent civilians in Poonch sector,” the Army said in a post on X.
Pak troops continue shelling along LoC
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Army continued shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in four sectors of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting a befitting response by the Indian Army, officials said on Thursday. Today’s shelling was the 14th consecutive night of firing along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir amid heightened tension following the Pahalgam attack.
Compared to Wednesday, when the Pakistan Army carried out one of the most intense artillery and mortar shelling in years targeting the forward villages in J-K following missile strikes by India as part of ‘Operation Sindoor’, the intensity of cross-border firing was less and restricted to four sectors on Thursday, the officials said.
“On the intervening night of May 7 and 8, Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked firing using small arms and artillery guns across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri and Akhnoor sectors in J-K. The Indian Army responded proportionately,” a defence spokesman said in Jammu.
The officials said there was no report of any casualties in the skirmishes.
Operation Sindoor
In retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes early Wednesday on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba’s base Muridke.
The military strikes were carried out under ‘Operation Sindoor’ two weeks after the massacre of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
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