Pakistan Army says two soldiers killed by Indian fire along LoC
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani army said that two of its soldiers were killed on Thursday in "unprovoked" Indian fire along the border dividing the disputed territory of Kashmir, in the second such incident within two days.
One soldier was killed and two others injured in the latest firing incident along the Line of Control (LoC) a statement by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
"Indian troops again resorted to unprovoked firing at Hotspring (Tatta Pani) sector in the evening. A Pakistani soldier has embraced shahadat (martyrdom) while two soldiers are injured," it said.
Earlier on, a Pakistani soldier had been killed "due to Indian troops unprovoked firing at the LoC on Thursday," according to a statement by the ISPR which added that, "Indian troops resorted to unprovoked firing at the LoC in Rakhchakri sector near Rawlakot at 1150 hours today."
On the other hand an Indian army officer said that Indian troops had responded after receiving gunfire from Pakistani soldiers, and the exchange lasted three hours.
He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with military policy.
The latest development comes a day after Pakistan asked India to stop further ceasefire violations in a message delivered to the Indian deputy high commissioner Gopal Bagley after he was summoned to the Foreign Office to receive a demarche over the latest ceasefire violation in the Shaqma sector, near Skardu, in which a Pakistan Army officer was killed and a soldier critically wounded.
The recent flareup started two weeks back when five Indian soldiers were killed along the Line of Control, which is a UN-monitored de facto border dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
India said the five were killed by Pakistani forces but Pakistan denied involvement and the government has issued a series of conciliatory statements.
The incident was followed by a series of ceasefire violations along the LoC with casualties sustained on both sides of the border. Both countries engaged in allegations, denials and counter allegations over the firing incidents.
"Pakistan will also continue to seek dialogue and resolution of all outstanding issues with India peacefully," the Pakistani government said in a statement on Thursday.
"The ceasefire should be maintained in letter and spirit.
All military and diplomatic channels should be used to prevent ceasefire violations," it added.
Both countries control a part of the Muslim-majority Kashmir region but claim it in full.
India says this year it has seen a spike in attempts by militants to infiltrate into its part of Kashmir.
Many analysts expect the trend to continue as the two countries jostle for influence in Afghanistan, from which a Nato force is preparing to withdraw by the end of 2014.
