2 troopers killed in India, Pakistan skirmishes on Kashmir LoC

wo Indian army troopers were killed and two others wounded Sunday in skirmishes between troops of India and Pakistan on the Line of Control (LoC) dividing Kashmir.

A woman was also wounded in the standoff.

The two sides fired mortars and resorted to heavy firing in Krishna Ghati and Sabzian sectors of Poonch district, about 185 km southwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"One trooper was killed in Krishna Ghati sector while foiling infiltration bids, while as another one was killed and two others wounded in skirmishes in the Poonch sector," army officials said. "A civilian woman was also wounded in Poonch sector."

Indian army officials blame Pakistan side for resorting to unprovoked firing to make attempts to push infiltrators inside Indian side.

Last week, eight civilians were killed and 22 others wounded in similar fire exchange between the two sides.

Indian defense officials said they were adequately retaliating to the firing from Pakistan.

The past several weeks have seen a surge in skirmishes on the International Border (IB) and LoC between the two countries. Apart from troop casualties, the firing has claimed civilian lives on both sides, besides prompting migrations of residents from frontier areas. Officials have ordered closure of 174 schools in frontier areas in wake of shelling.

Both 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. 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. Though some violations have been reported on both sides, the cease-fire however remains in effect.

Reports said more than 60 cease-fire violations were recorded in the past several weeks.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated because of the ongoing civilian protests in Indian-controlled Kashmir that saw at least 90 civilians dead and over 12,000 others injured. However, the situation worsened between New Delhi and Islamabad following a militant attack on Uri army camp last month that left 19 troopers dead and subsequent claims of Indian military that it carried out "surgical strikes" inside Pakistan-controlled Kashmir inflicting significant casualties on infiltrators and their supporters.

Pakistan, however, rejected Indian claims about "surgical strikes".

LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts.

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