Officials have informed that on Tuesday, at least five Indian soldiers were injured as Pakistan fired mortar shells and missiles across the Line of Control at several areas in Jammu and Kashmir. Authorities have been prompted to shut schools and defer examinations within five kilometres of the border. A defence spokesperson said that The Pakistan Army on Tuesday, unprovoked ceasefire violation by shelling with heavy calibre weapons in 12 to 15 places all along the LoC in Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch districts since, since 6:30pm. “The Indian Army retaliated for effect and our focused fire resulted in severe destruction to 05 posts and number of casualties to the Pakistani army. Pakistani troops were also seen firing mortars and missiles from civilian houses, using villagers as human shields. However, the Indian Army targeted the Pakistani posts away from civilian localities”, said Lt Col Devender Anand. Five army soldiers suffered minor injuries in the exchange of fire and out of which two were evacuated to the military hospital for treatment and are stable, he added.
The Pakistan army had targeted Akhnoor, Pallanwala in Jammu district, Nowshera, Laam, Jhangar in Rajouri and Mankote, Mendhar, KG sector, Khari Karmara, Balakote and Poonch in Poonch. As a precausionary measure, District magistrates of Rajouri and Poonch have closed government and private schools within five km radius of LoC on Wednesday.
Due to the ceasefire violations on Tuesday night and shelling in the forward posts, the situation in the LoC in Kashmir Uri sector remained tense. Locals said that the army fired shells towards Pakistani posts from Kalgai village. Officials have informed that after the ceasefire violation, villagers in some areas in Uri are being shifted to safer places. “The skirmishes started around 5.30pm on Tuesday and the intermittent exchange of fire lasted till 6am on Wednesday,” said an army officer.
The escalation came after the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted a massive “pre-emptive” strike in early morning hours of Tuesday, on Jaish-e-Mohammed biggest camp which was by Jaish chief Masood Azhar brother-in-law Maulana Yousuf Azhar. The Indian Air Force had acted on “concrete intelligence inputs” about the terror group preparing to carry out more attacks in India. IAF dropped 1,000-pound bombs in a thickly-forested hilltop killing a large number of terrorists. Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, when at least 40 CRPF jawans were killed in a suicide attack.
However, a Pakistani newspaper blamed India for firing on Pakistani posts and civilian areas. It reported that four civilians were killed and 11 others were injured in Indian firing. According to the reports, 2018 witnessed the highest number of ceasefire violations with a total count of 2,936 by Pakistani troops in the last 15 years along the India-Pakistan border. Pakistan continues to violate the ceasefire understanding of 2003 despite repeated calls for restraint and adherence to the agreement during flag meetings between the border guarding forces of the two countries.