India, Pakistan clash in Kashmir kills civilian

A civilian was killed Tuesday in an ongoing firing between troops of India and Pakistan in the disputed Kashmir region, officials said.

"A civilian aged 20 was killed this morning as Pakistani troops fired at a dozen Indian posts and civilian areas in Pargwal and Kanachak areas," an official said.

Reports said the heavy exchange of fire started at around 5:00 a.m. local time and was going on in the areas.

Indian officials said its troops retaliated to firing from Pakistan.

The fresh spell of firing has triggered panic among the residents in frontier area, locals said.

Meanwhile, Pakistani broadcaster Radio Pakistan Tuesday said five people including three children were wounded near Sialkot in the firing from Indian side.

The broadcaster quoting Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Pakistani troops befittingly responded to Indian shelling.

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

The troops of India and Pakistan intermittently exchange fire on the Line of Control (LoC), 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.

Last month, the two sides suffered causalities in the exchange of fire. Endi