Pakistan said today its troops hit Indian military installations in retaliatory firing across a tense disputed border in Kashmir, killing and wounding at least 35 soldiers.
A military statement said the day's action followed "indiscriminate firing and unprovoked shelling" by Indian troops across the military Line of Control dividing the Himalayan region that killed six civilians and wounded 11.
Earlier today, officials on both sides said the two sides traded heavy mortar, machinegun and small arms fire in which a Pakistani soldier was killed and two others were wounded near the Pakistani border town of Sialkot in the central province of Punjab.
The Pakistani military statement said the army responded to the Indian firing "inflicting casualties and material losses to the enemy."
"At least 35 Indian soldiers were killed and wounded...in retaliatory action by the Pakistan army."
But it was the largest figure of Indian army casualties that the Pakistani military gave for one day of their clashes since the present military standoff between the two nuclear rivals began last December.
India did not report any casualties.
An Indian official in New Delhi said Pakistani troops opened fire with mortars and machine guns on Indian positions in two places along the Line of Control.
"The firing started early in the morning and lasted an hour or so and Indian troops retaliated with mortars and heavy machine guns," said the official, who declined to be identified.