INDIAN and Pakistani troops exchanged sustained cross-border fire yesterday, security officials said, a day after an Indian soldier was killed by Pakistani troops while patrolling one of the world’s most heavily guarded borders.
The two sides exchanged small arms fire for 30 minutes early on Sunday (May 15) at a border post 30 km (18 miles) from Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Pakistani soldiers opened unprovoked firing on our Umra Wali post,” said a spokesman for the paramilitary Indian Border Security Force. “We responded to their fire effectively.”
A Pakistani border security official confirmed the clash, but denied starting it. Three Pakistani paramilitary soldiers were wounded, he said.
An Indian soldier died in hospital late on Saturday (May 14) from bullet wounds sustained after Pakistani soldiers opened fire on a routine patrol in the same area, the Indian side said.
He was the first Indian soldier killed by Pakistani troops in a year.
The two countries agreed a ceasefire in Kashmir in 2003 and while it has largely held, short exchanges of fire occur almost every month.
The two sides exchanged small arms fire for 30 minutes early on Sunday (May 15) at a border post 30 km (18 miles) from Jammu, the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Pakistani soldiers opened unprovoked firing on our Umra Wali post,” said a spokesman for the paramilitary Indian Border Security Force. “We responded to their fire effectively.”
A Pakistani border security official confirmed the clash, but denied starting it. Three Pakistani paramilitary soldiers were wounded, he said.
An Indian soldier died in hospital late on Saturday (May 14) from bullet wounds sustained after Pakistani soldiers opened fire on a routine patrol in the same area, the Indian side said.
He was the first Indian soldier killed by Pakistani troops in a year.
The two countries agreed a ceasefire in Kashmir in 2003 and while it has largely held, short exchanges of fire occur almost every month.
