Nightlong firing from across LoC in Poonch

August 12, 2013

Shravan Shuklapaksha 5/6, Kaliyug Varsha 5115

JAMMU: Escalating border tension, Pakistani troops on Monday violated the ceasefire for the fifth time in the last three days by targeting forward Indian posts along the LoC in Poonch district with mortar shells, rockets and small arms firing.

Indian troops, guarding the borderline, took positions and retaliated resulting in heavy exchanges.

"Pakistan troops opened heavy firing with small arms, mortar shells and rockets on Indian forward posts along LoC in Poonch and Durga Battalion areas around 0150 hours", defence spokesman S N Acharya said today.

"It was yet another ceasefire violation by Pakistan", the Spokesman said, adding the firing took place from 0150 hours till 0600 hours.

There was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the Pakistani firing, Acharya said.

Pakistani troops fired at 11 posts in Digwar, Mankote and Durga Battalion areas along the LoC in Poonch.

This is fifth ceasefire violation by Pakistan troops in the past three days.

Pakistani troops had fired at Durga Battalion area with small arms firing and mortars along LoC in Poonch around 2150 hours last night. The firing continued for three hours and Army troops from this side retaliated, he said.

Pakistan troops had also opened small arms firing at Indian posts in Balakote-Mendhar forward belt of Poonch district around 1130 hours yesterday, Army officials had said, adding that Indian troops fired back resulting in exchanges for four hours.

There was no loss of life or damage to property in the firing.

A BSF jawan was injured in Pakistani firing at a forward Posts along the Indo-Pakistan border at around 0830 hrs yesterday.

"There was sniper firing from Pakistani side along the international border (IB) on three posts including Alfa Machial Border Out Post (BOP) area in Kanachak belt of Jammu district" a senior BSF officer had said.

In the firing, BSF Jawan Pawan Kumar received bullet injuries in his chest and legs. The jawan has been paralysed as the bullet pierced his spinal cord, doctors at GMC hospital said, adding that he has been referred to the AIIMS in the national capital.

On Saturday last, Pakistani troops had targeted several Indian Posts by firing 7000 rounds of ammunition and mortar shells along LoC in Poonch district.

Earlier, Head Constable BSF Ram Niwas Meena of 200th Battalion was injured in snipper firing on Narainpur BoP area in Samba district along IB on August 5. Meena succumbed to his injuries yesterday

On August six, a group of 20 heavily armed men led by Pakistani troops had entered 450 metres into the Indian territory in the Poonch sector and ambushed a patrol killing five Indian soldiers.

There have been 57 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops this year from January one to August 5, which is 80 per cent more than the corresponding period last year.

Source : TOI

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Pakistan violates ceasefire again; BSF jawan injured in firing

August 11, 2013

JAMMU : A BSF jawan was on Sunday injured in Pakistani firing at a forward post in Jammu frontier, the second ceasefire violation in as many days amid heightened tension on border over the killing of five Indian soldiers.

"There was sniper firing from Pakistani side this morning along the international border (IB) at Alfa Machial Border Out Post (BOP) area in Jammu frontier," a senior BSF officer said.

In the firing, BSF jawan Pawan Kumar was injured and has been hospitalized, he said, adding that it is ceasefire violation.
BSF troops exercised restraint, he said. This is second incident of targeted sniper firing on BSF jawans along the IB in past one week.

In similar manner, a head constable BSF Ram Niwas Meena of 200th Battalion was injured in sniper firing on Narainpur BoP area in Samba district along IB on August 5.

Meena, who suffered bullet injury in chest, is critical and undergoing treatment at AIIMS, New Delhi.

In a major ceasefire violation there days after killing of five jawans in Border Action Team Attack, Pakistani troops on Saturday targeted several Indian posts by firing 7000 rounds of heavy ammunition and mortar shells during a seven- hour firing along LoC in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Source : TOI

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POK LoC rocked by 'biggest ceasefire violation'; fired 7,000 rounds

August 10, 2013

Amid heightened tension on the border over the killing of five Indian soldiers, Pakistani troops have violated the ceasefire yet again by firing 7,000 rounds of heavy ammunition and mortar shells for seven hours at Indian posts along the Line of Control, in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir .

The fresh ceasefire violation late on Friday, which the Indian Army termed as the "biggest ceasefire violation" in recent times, comes four days after five Indian soldiers were killed by specialist troops of the Pakistan Army on the LoC.

There was no loss of life in the firing from across the border as the Indian Army fired back effectively.

"Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on several Indian forward posts along the LoC in Durga Battalion area in Poonch district around 22.20 hours last night," defence spokesman S N Acharya said today.

"They fired 7000 rounds of heavy weaponry -- Pika ammunition and medium mortars -- targeting several Indian posts in order to cause heavy causalities till 04.30 hours, the spokesman said, adding that it was the "biggest ceasefire violation".

Army troops guarding the borderline took positions and fired back effectively, he said, adding that troops also fired 4595 rounds of Medium Machine Guns, INSAS rifles and KPWT Machine guns besides 111 RPGs, 11 rockets and 18 mortar shells of 81 mm in retaliatory action.

There was no loss of life in the firing from across the border, the spokesman said, adding the border area remains tense.

The sound of heavy firing and mortar blasts was heard in Poonch town and the firing exchanges triggered panic among the people living in the area.

A group of 20 heavily armed men led by Pakistani troops had entered 450 metres into Indian territory in the Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir on August 6 and ambushed a patrol, killing five Indian soldiers.

Defence Minister A K Antony had blamed the Pakistan Army for the "brutal" act and also warned that last Tuesday's incident will have "consequences" on India's behaviour on the Line of Control and on relations with Pakistan.

"It is now clear that specialist troops of Pakistan Army were involved in this attack when a group from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir side crossed the LoC and killed our brave jawans," he had said.

Taking a hard position, Antony had told Parliament that the "brutal and unprovoked" attack on Indian side of the LoC in Poonch sector "outraged us all" and "naturally, this incident will have consequences on our behaviour on the LoC and for our relations with Pakistan."

Sending out a message to Pakistan, he said, "Our restraint should not be taken for granted; nor should the capacity of our armed forces and resolve of the government to uphold the sanctity of LoC ever be doubted."