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Indian trooper, border guard killed on Kashmir LoC

Xinhua, October 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

An Indian border guard was killed in an exchange of fire on Line of Control (LoC) dividing Kashmir, while a trooper belonging to Indian army was killed in a militant attack, officials said on Saturday.

Both the killings have taken place in Machil sector of frontier Kupwara district, about 165 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

While the member of the Border Security Force (BSP) was killed in fresh skirmishes between troops of India and Pakistan on Saturday, the trooper according to army officials was killed in a militant attack on Friday evening.

"BSF constable Koli Nitin Subhash was killed today while retaliating to firing from Pakistan in Machil sector," the BSF said in a statement.

Indian army says the body of its soldier killed by militants was "mutilated" by militants, who fled under "cover of Pakistani fire."

Indian army spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia told Xinhua "This act will invite an appropriate response."

Kalia said one militant was also killed in the gunfight.

Pakistan however rejects Indian claims about killing its troops.

Meanwhile, a heavy exchange of fire was going on in Hiranagar and R.S. Pora sectors of Kathua and Jammu districts since early Saturday. Indian officials said their troops were giving a befitting reply to Pakistan.

The past several weeks have seen a surge in skirmishes on LoC and IB between the two countries. The firing has claimed civilian lives on both sides, besides prompting migrations of residents from frontier areas.

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 720-km-long LoC and 198-km IB in Kashmir, despite an agreement in 2003 to observe a cease-fire.

LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts. Though some violations have been reported on both sides, the cease-fire however remains in effect.

New Delhi blames Islamabad for fanning Kashmir protests and accuses it of sending armed militants into Indian-controlled Kashmir, an accusation Islamabad strongly rejects. However, Islamabad says it only provides moral and political support to Kashmiris.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Endit