SRINAGAR : Pakistan troops again violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked heavy shelling and firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) in frontier Kashmir district of Baramulla on Monday.
The ceasefire violation comes just two days after shelling by them led to injuries to two girls and three soldiers, two of whom succumbed on Saturday, in Uri sector in Baramulla.
Official sources said that Pakistani troops, violating the 2003 ceasefire, fired mortar shells at around 0400 hrs, targeting forward posts and civilian areas in Uri sector.
They said Indian troops retaliated and the exchange of fire lasted for over two-and-a-half hours. However, they further said no one was injured in the shelling.
Pakistan has been violating ceasefire frequently in north Kashmir from last about a month. Two Army soldiers, who was critically injured when Pakistan troops violated ceasefire from across the LoC in Baramulla on Friday, succumbed in the wee hours on Saturday.
They violated ceasefire in Uri sector on April 27 though no one was injured. Three civilians, including a woman and child, were killed on April 12 when Pakistan troops violated ceasefire in Kupwara. Five heavily-armed militants and as many soldiers were killed in an encounter which ensued after alert troops foiled a major infiltration bid from PoK in Keran sector on April 5.
Official sources stated that Pakistan troops were violating ceasefire to facilitate militants to infiltrate into Kashmir valley. ”A large number of militants are waiting at launch pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) to sneak into this side,” they stated.
However, they added that despite facing all odds, Indian troops remained on high alert along the Line of Control (LoC) to foil any militant attempt to infiltrate into this side.
There were a total of 646 incidents of ceasefire violation along the International Border (IB) as well as the LoC between January 1 and February 23 this year, an official said.
He added that over 3,200 ceasefire violations by Pakistan’s troops were recorded in 2019. (agencies)
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