Woman killed, 3 wounded as India, Pakistan border guards exchange fire on Kashmir border
Xinhua, July 15, 2015 Adjust font size:
The border guards of India and Pakistan on Wednesday exchanged fire on the International Border (IB) in restive Kashmir region, leaving a woman dead and three others injured, including an Indian border guard, officials said.
The border guards fired at each other's positions in the morning along Akhnoor sector of Jammu district, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
Indian officials blamed the Pakistani side for resorting to unprovoked firing on its border posts, besides targeting civilian areas.
"Pakistani forces today resorted to shelling and firing in Akhnoor sector of Jammu district, which killed a woman and wounded three others including a Border Security Force (BSF) man," an Indian official said.
It was reported that India's BSF troops retaliated to firing from the Pakistani side and the exchange continued for several hours.
The Indian side also accused Pakistan of resorting to mortar shelling in the civilian Pargwal area close to the sector.
Wednesday's cease-fire violation came days after heads of the two countries agreed to restart bilateral talks to discuss all outstanding issues during their meeting at Russia's Ufa.
No response is immediately available from the Pakistani side.
Meanwhile, Pakistan claimed earlier Wednesday it had shot down an Indian spy drone which it said intruded into Pakistan controlled part along Line of Control (LoC) near Bhimber.
Pakistan's official broadcaster Radio Pakistan quoting the Pakistan military's Inter Services Public Relations saying the spy drone was used for aerial photography.
However, India is yet to make response to the report.
Last week, India said two of its border guards were killed by Pakistani fire in separate incidents on the LoC, which divides the two countries in the disputed Kashmir region.
Both New Delhi and Islamabad accuse each other of resorting to unprovoked firings and violating cease-fire agreements.
The troops of India and Pakistan intermittently exchange fire on the 720 km-long LoC and 198 km IB in Kashmir, despite an agreement in 2003 to observe cease-fire. Though some violations have been reported on both sides, the cease-fire however remains in effect. Endi