Pakistan violates ceasefire along LoC in J&K's Poonch

Jammu: Pakistani troops on Tuesday violated border ceasefire for the second time in less than a week by resorting to small arms firing and mortar shelling on forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

"The Pakistan army troops resorted to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing on Indian army posts along LoC in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir since midnight," the Defence spokesperson today said.

The spokesperson said the Pakistan army also shelled posts with heavy mortars and opened fire with small arms and automatic weapons in the Poonch sector.

"Our troops are responding appropriately and no casualties or damage to our troops was reported till the report last came in. The firing was still going on" the spokesperson added.

The exchange of fire is going intermittently in Shahpur Kandi area along LoC in Poonch, police said.

Today's ceasefire violation is second in less than a week. On September 2, Pakistan troops violated ceasefire by firing on forward army posts along LoC in Akhnoor sector in Jammu district.

Earlier on August 14, 2016, A 50-year-old woman was injured when the Pakistan Army violated the ceasefire twice and targeted Indian posts on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch sector in two different areas.

Last year, 16 civilians were killed and 71 others injured in 405 incidents of cross-border firing by Pakistan, the officer said.

While 253 incidents of ceasefire violations took place along the International Border (IB), 152 incidents were reported along the LoC, he said.

Around 8,000 people were temporarily affected due to the ceasefire violations and had to be shifted to safer locations.