Fresh ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Poonch

Pakistani Army violated the ceasefire again on Monday by shelling forward posts and civilian areas along the LoC in Poonch district, drawing retaliation from the Indian side.

"Pakistani Army violated ceasefire again-- they fired mortar shells and opened indiscriminate fire from automatic weapons on forward posts along LoC in Garhi sub-sector of Poonch district around 0015 hours," Defence spokesman Col R K Palta said in Jammu. Pakistani troops also opened indiscriminate fire from small arms and targeted civilian areas, he said.

Indian troops guarding the borderline retaliated strongly, triggering exchanges which ended around 0500 hours on Monday, Col Palta said, adding that there were no reports of loss of life or injury to anyone. The reports said Pakistani troops continued firing mortar shells and automatic weapons in Hamirpur sub-sector from 6 PM to 7:45 PM on Sunday, besides it fired in Doda battalion area and Sawjian sub-sector throughout the night on 13 different forward posts and civilian areas.

Pakistani Army violated the ceasefire in different sectors twice on Sunday.  They have been daily resorting to ceasefire violations since August six when its special forces killed five Indian soldiers in Poonch. There have been over 80 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops this year from January one.