SRINAGAR: The Army launched on Wednesday a massive counter-offensive against Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, a day after three soldiers were killed and one of the bodies was mutilated.
Pakistan’s authorities said three of its soldiers and 10 others were killed in firing from the Indian side. They also said seven Indian soldiers were killed in retaliation, a claim the Indian Army strongly refuted.
Intense exchanges of artillery fire between the facing troops have caused panic in bordering areas in the state. At many places, people have started fleeing to safety.
Defence sources said India retaliated with full force to Tuesday’s incursion and brutality in the Machil sector of Kupwara district by targeting Pakistan’s military posts in several sectors — from Gurez in the Valley to Jammu’s Rajouri district — with artillery fire and machine guns. The Army also responded “strongly and befittingly” to renewed firing and shelling from across the de facto border in Bhimber Gali, Krishna Ghati and Nowshera sectors of Poonch and Rajouri districts, officials said.
Authorities in Islamabad said that three Pakistani soldiers were killed in an exchange of fire with India’s troops near the LoC on Wednesday.
Attack, a strong message to Pakistan
The media wing of Pakistan’s Army said three of its soldiers died in the attack and identified them as Captain Taimoor Ali Khan, Havaldar Mushtaq Hussain and Lance Naik Ghulam Hussain.
Government officials in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, said that Indian troops targeted a passenger bus in Lawat area near the LoC, killing nine people and injuring 11 others.
They also said that in a separate incident of Indian shelling in Nakyal and Tatta Pani areas close to the de facto border, one person was killed and seven others injured.
The BSF said in Jammu that two of its jawans were injured in the latest ceasefire violation by Pakistani along the LoC in Rajouri district on Wednesday.
A report from Jammu said that the BSF jawans were injured when a mortar shell landed on their post. The Army said that its offensive is a direct message to Pakistan that mutilation of its soldiers is not acceptable and India’s response will be quick and massive.
