Eurasia Press & News
Skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani troops on the international border in Kashmir continued Thursday, with both sides accusing each other of resorting to unprovoked firing and targeting civilian areas.
Both New Delhi and Islamabad Thursday said heavy exchange of fire and mortars between the two sides took place Wednesday night and continued until Thursday morning.
Indian officials Thursday said eight people including three border guards of the Border Security Force (BSF) were wounded in fresh firing.
It was reported that nearly 20,000 people living close to the border have migrated to safer places in wake of the heavy firing.
Indian officials said Pakistani firing has so far left eight people dead and over 75 others including some BSF personnel wounded since the beginning of this month, while Pakistani media reported 12 people on their side were killed due to Indian firing on the Kashmir border near Sialkot.
According to Pakistani newspaper Dawn, two people were killed in Sialkot on Thursday due to Indian firing, taking the death toll to 12 with 43 others wounded.
Both Indian and Pakistani television news channels showed video footage of wounded people from their sides lying on hospital beds and residents holding metal propellers of mortars and rockets in front of their damaged houses.
Indian Defense Minister Arun Jaitely Thursday accused Pakistan of resorting to unprovoked firing on the Kashmir border and said it would be unaffordable for Pakistan to indulge in what he referred “adventurism.”
However, Pakistan Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said Pakistan was fully capable to respond to any Indian aggression and India should act in a responsible manner.
