Indian, Pakistani troops trade fire for eighth day

Heavy Pakistani shelling was reported in the border areas of Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua and Samba, which continued all night, he…

Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged mortar and small arms fire today across their border in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir for the eighth successive day, an army spokesman said.

Heavy Pakistani shelling was reported in the border areas of Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua and Samba, which continued all night, he said.

Reports of intermittent small arms fire were still coming in from these areas, he added.

One woman was killed and five injured when Pakistan opened "sudden and unprovoked firing" in Poonch district last night, the spokesman said.

READ MORE

The intense shelling had sparked forest fires in Poonch district, which were still smoldering this morning, police said.

Lieutenant Colonel Oberoi of the Indian army said: "Most of the firing late Thursday and early this morning was concentrated along the international border in southern Kashmir.

"It was a mix of small arms, mortar and heavy machine gun fire to which the Indian army effectively retaliated."

Pakistani and Indian troops have been shelling each other's positions heavily since last Friday, following an attack by Islamic militants on a bus and army camp in Jammu, Indian Kashmir's southern winter capital, which left 35 people dead.

At least 36 people have been killed in the shelling - 26 Pakistanis and 10 Indians, according to police on both sides of the divide.

AFP