Four soldiers and a jawan from BSF also died; The army responds to the ammunition depots.
Eleven people, including six civilians, four army soldiers and a BSF jawan, were killed and more than 20 injured in the ceasefire violations committed by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in four districts of J&K on Friday.
According to the Army, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violations throughout the LoC in multiple sectors, including Dawar in Bandipora, Keran in Kupwara, Uri and Naugam in Baramulla in the Kashmir Valley.
“Pakistan used mortars and other weapons. Pakistan deliberately targeted civilian areas. Three Indian army soldiers were also killed and three soldiers were injured, ”said Colonel Rajesh Kalia, a Srinagar-based army spokesman.
The Army said it retaliated vigorously, causing substantial damage to the Pakistani army infrastructure and inflicting casualties throughout the LoC. “Several ammunition depots and multiple terrorist launch pads have been damaged,” the Army said.
The Army also released videos showing mortars hitting and damaging Pakistani bunkers throughout the LoC.
The Uri sector of the Baramulla district of northern Kashmir witnessed heavy shelling and shooting by the Pakistani army throughout the day, targeting eight villages near the LoC.
“I managed to pick up my four children just in time. If I had been only four minutes late, they would have been killed when a projectile exploded near a construction site near our house, leaving two dead, ”said a local resident.
Several people living near the LoC were seen moving to safer areas as dozens of houses and sheds of civilians who were hit by the gunfire caught fire.
“Six civilians were killed in the shelling and shooting. Five injured civilians were taken to the Srinagar Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) hospital, ”Baramulla Deputy Commissioner Dr. Ghulam Nabi Itoo told The Hindu.
A BSF spokesman said Deputy Inspector Takesh Doval was also killed and another Jawan was injured when a mortar shell exploded in Uri de Baramulla.
Five civilians were injured in Bandipora in northern Kashmir when a bombardment hit the Bagtore sector in Gurez. “The five wounded are stable,” said an official.
At least seven civilians were reported to have been injured in the Sawjian sector in the bombing of Pir Panjal’s Poonch in Pakistan. “A bus stop was hit by the shelling, leaving civilians injured,” an official in Poonch said.
Meanwhile, a Srinagar-based army spokesman said a suspicious movement of infiltrators was also observed on Friday at outposts along the LoC in the Keran sector.
“This was accompanied by the initiation of an unprovoked violation of the ceasefire (CFV) by Pakistan along the LoC in the Keran sector by firing mortars and other weapons. An adequate response is being given, ”said the Army.
The National Conference has demanded an immediate end to such skirmishes.
“It is the people of J&K, especially those who live on both sides of the LoC or the international border, who have to face the brunt of the skirmishes between the two countries. It is truly sad to witness innocent lives being eaten up in this way. We urge both countries to immediately stop cross-border shelling, ”said a North Carolina spokesman.
The head of the Peoples’ Conference, Sajad Lone, condemned the bombing and called it “modern barbarism”.
“My prayers to the hapless inhabitants of these areas. Let sanity prevail, ”said Mr. Lone, also a spokesperson for the Peoples’ Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration.
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