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World

India, Pakistan troops exchange fire on Kashmir LoC

2018-02-23 09:30:55

NEW DELHI, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Troops of India and Pakistan Thursday exchanged heavy fire and targeted each other's positions on the Line of Control (LoC) dividing Kashmir, officials said.

The two sides exchanged fire in Uri sector of frontier Baramulla district, about 117 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Indian officials said Pakistan violated cease-fire agreement and targeted military posts and civilian areas, following which they also retaliated.

"Today Pakistan violated cease-fire in Uri sector and our side retaliated to that firing effectively," Indian army spokesman told Xinhua.

However, in Thursday's fierce exchange, no loss of life was reported in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Locals said some shells fired from the Pakistani side landed on houses in the area.

A wreath-laying ceremony was organized Thursday in a border guards camp of India's Border Security Force in Srinagar for a slain border guard. The border guard was killed during skirmishes on Tuesday in Tanghdar area of frontier Kupwara district.

Meanwhile, Pakistani foreign ministry Thursday accused India of resorting to unprovoked firing and said it killed a civilian on the Pakistani side.

It also summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner to register their protest.

"Pakistan has denounced unprovoked Indian firing on the LoC in Rawalakot sector on Thursday that resulted in the killing of one civilian," a statement issued by Pakistan's foreign ministry said.

"The Indian deputy high commissioner J P Singh was summoned to foreign office today and a strong protest was lodged."

Continued skirmishes earlier this month led to killings of troops as well as civilians on both sides, and also triggered migrations of civilian population living close to the frontier.

The skirmishes on LoC and the International Border (IB) in Kashmir between troops of Indian and Pakistan are going on despite an agreement between them in 2003 to observe a cease-fire.

Both India and Pakistan accuse each other of resorting to unprovoked firings and violating cease-fire agreements. And both sides maintain that their troops gave befitting replies.

The two countries are currently at loggerheads with each other. There has been no considerable improvement in the relations of the two countries or resumption of bilateral relations ever since Narendra Modi became the Indian Prime Minister in 2014.

Editor:Jiang Yiwei