Pakistan violates ceasefire along LoC in Poonch

JAMMU: Pakistani forces today again targeted Indian forward posts and villages in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, a day after an Army major and three soldiers were killed in firing from across the Line of Control (LoC).

Indian troops guarding the LoC retaliated effectively and the firing between the two sides was going on when the last reports came, a police official said.

The latest ceasefire violation comes a day after the Pakistani forces opened fire on an Indian Army patrol, killing a Major and three soldiers, in Keri sector of the state's Rajouri district.


The Pakistani troops started firing from heavy and light weapons from across the border, targeting forward posts and villages in Shahpur sector around 12.55 pm today, a police official said.

However, there is no immediate report of any casualty in the skirmishes, the official said.

Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a total of 881 ceasefire violations this year, highest in the past seven years, along the LoC and the International Border (IB), resulting in the death of 34 persons.

According to officials, Pakistan has violated ceasefire along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir 771 times till December 10, and 110 times along the IB till November-end this year.

Thirty persons -- 14 Army personnel, 12 civilians and four BSF personnel -- were killed in such incidents.

The truce between India and Pakistan along the International Border, Line of Control and the Actual Ground Position Line in Jammu and Kashmir came into force in November, 2003.

India shares a 3,323-km-long border with Pakistan, of which 221 km of the IB and 740 km of the LoC fall in Jammu and Kashmir.

In 2016, there were 449 incidents of ceasefire violations wherein 13 civilians and 13 government forces personnel were killed and 83 civilians and 99 security personnel were injured.

In 2014, there were 583 incidents of ceasefire violation in which 14 civilians and three security personnel were killed and 101 civilians and 28 security personnel were injured.

In 2015, the number of ceasefire violations was 405; 347 in 2013, 114 in 2012, 62 in 2011 and 70 in 2010.