Civilian wounded in India, Pakistan firing on Kashmir border

A civilian was wounded Monday in an exchange of heavy fire and artillery between the border guards of India and Pakistan along the International Border (IB) in disputed Kashmir, officials said.

Indian officials said Pakistan Rangers targeted their posts in R S Pura sector of Jammu district, about 322 km south of Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"A civilian was wounded after being hit by artillery fired from across the border by Pakistan troops," said an Indian official. " The Pakistani troops targeted our posts and two villages in the overnight firing."

The wounded civilian was immediately rushed to Government Medical College hospital in Jammu.

Reports said eight Indian border outposts came under Pakistani firing. The Indian border guards responded to the Pakistani firing.

"The firing started at around 11:00 p.m. local time on Sunday and exchange of fire between the two sides lasted for more than two hours," the official said.

Last month, deadly shelling between troops of the two countries forced evacuation of civilians from frontier areas.

Both New Delhi and Islamabad accuse each other of resorting to unprovoked firings and violating cease-fire agreements. And both sides maintain their troops gave befitting reply to the other side.

The troops of India and Pakistan intermittently exchange fire on the 720-km Line of Control (LoC) and 198-km IB in Kashmir, despite a 2003 ceasefire agreement. Though some violations have been reported on both sides, the ceasefire however remains in effect.

Indian officials said 564 ceasefire violations - 411 along IB and 153 along LoC - were recorded last year.

LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts. The LoC on both sides is guarded by army, while the IB is patrolled by Border Security Force on the Indian side and Pakistan Rangers on the other side. Endi