Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire again using small arms and mortars along Line of Control (LoC) in many locations in Jammu and Kashmir Thursday morning, the Indian army said.
“Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violations by firing with small arms and shelling mortars along the LoC in many locations. At about 0530 hours it was in Mankote sector, at about 1145 hours in Degwar sector and at about 1215 hours in Mendhar Sector in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian army has retaliated befittingly,” defence spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand said in Jammu.
Earlier in the day, the Pakistani army acknowledged that one of its soldiers was killed in an exchange of fire with Indian troops across the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir late Wednesday.
It alleged that the Indian army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation in Bedori sector along the LoC, targeting Pakistan army posts and the civil population. It claimed to have inflicted heavy losses on Indian troops.
“Pakistan Army responded effectively. Reports of heavy losses on the enemy in terms of men and material. During exchange of intense fire, Havaldar Liaqat, age 39 years, resident of District Chakwal, embraced shahadat (died),”ISPR, the publicity wing of Pak armed forces posted on its website.
ISPR also claimed that Pakistan Army troops shot down an Indian spying quadcopter in Chakothi sector along the LoC.
“The quadcopter had intruded 500 meters on Pakistan’s side of the LoC. This is 11th Indian quadcopter shot down by Pakistan Army this year,” ISPR said.
However, an Indian defence official said that Pakistani troops had initiated the unprovoked fire compelling Indian troops to retaliate.
“The Pakistani army lost the soldier in retaliatory fire,” he said.
Late Wednesday Pakistan had initiated unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC in Degwar and Malti sectors of Poonch drawing retaliation from Indian troops.
Lt Col Anand said that Pakistani troops had opened fire around 5.25 pm on Wednesday and the intermittent exchanges lasted for a few hours.
In the past couple of days Pakistani troops have also been resorting to unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC in Khour sector of Akhnoor in Jammu district.
On Wednesday also Pakistani troops opened fire in Khour sector at 6.15 pm and the exchanges lasted for over an hour.
Pakistan has intensified ceasefire violations on the LoC amid India’s standoff with China in Ladakh..