Heavy exchange of firing erupted along the International Border (IB) after Pakistan again violated the ceasefire by targeting Indian posts in an attempt to push in a group of militants in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu district. One intruder was killed.
This is the fourteenth time that Pakistan has violated the ceasefire along the IB and the Line of Control (LoC) in the last fortnight. Pakistan Rangers fired on the posts of Mala Bela, Garkhal, Sidra camp and Naka Number-10 along the IB in Akhnoor sector around 10.30 p.m. on Sunday, officials said on Monday.
“We observed movement of suspected militants along the border,” they said.
Border Security Force men returned fire, in which one intruder was killed. The others fled back. Firing continued till 7.30 a.m. on Monday.
Pakistani troops also fired on the forward posts in Krishnagati belt along the LoC in Poonch sector the same night, they said, adding Army troops retaliated and the firing stopped after one hour.
Pakistan has been repeatedly violating the ceasefire this month.
On August 17, there was heavy small arms firing on outposts in the RS Pura subsector in which BSF jawan Chander Rai was killed.
There were two firing incidents and ceasefire violations by Pakistan in the Pansar outpost along the IB in Samba sector and Krishnagati forward belt along the LoC on August 15.
On August 13, Pakistani troops opened fire on posts in the Arnia sector of Jammu district.
On July 11, a BSF jawan was injured after Pakistani troops opened fire on posts in the Arnia sector.
On August 7, India lodged a strong protest over ceasefire violations, in which two jawans were injured. Pakistan has violated the ceasefire 37 times this year. There were 51 cases of violation in 2011, 44 in 2010 and 28 in 2009.
Pakistani troops fired on several Indian posts in Krishnagati subsector on August 8.
On August 6, they used rockets and small arms fire to target the BSF’s Pansar outpost in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district, resulting in injuries to two BSF jawans. The same day, they opened indiscriminate fire on the forward posts along the LoC in Poonch sector and continued intermittent firing for a few hours as India retaliated.
On August 5, Pakistan Rangers fired on outposts in Kote Kuba area along the IB in the RS Pura sector.
