10 civilians killed in Kashmir skirmishes

At least 10 civilians were killed and over 50 others wounded Friday on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) along Kashmir in deadly skirmishes between troops of India and Pakistan, officials said.

While three civilians were killed and 12 wounded in R.S. Pura Sector of Indian-controlled Kashmir, seven civilians were killed and 40 others wounded at Sialkot in Charwah sector of Pakistan.

"Pakistan today resorted to unprovoked firing on our border posts and civilian areas in R.S. Pora, which killed three civilians including a woman and wounded over 12 others," a senior official of India's Border Security Force (BSF) Rakesh Kumar Sharma told Xinhua.

"The Pakistan Rangers initiated the firing and we just retaliated for our safety."

The wounded were immediately taken to hospital for treatment, reports said.

The heavy exchange in the sector was going on intermittently since early Friday.

"The firing started today at around 2:00 a.m. (local time) and they (Pakistan Rangers) used mortars and heavy fire," Sharma said.

"As of now, mortar shelling has stopped but small arms fire is going on. "According to Pakistan's official broadcaster, Radio Pakistan, seven civilians including a woman were killed and 40 others wounded in "unprovoked firing" by Indian forces at Sialkot in Charwah sector on Friday.

The broadcaster said their troops have responded "befittingly" to the Indian firing.

Several causalities were reported on both sides in this month in similar exchanges between troops of the two countries.

On Tuesday, an Indian military officer was killed in firing from Pakistan side on Line of Control (LoC), dividing Kashmir, in Nowgam sector of frontier Kupwara district.

Security level talks between India and Pakistan were canceled on Sunday hours before the proposed schedule over the issue of Kashmir. Endi