Pak troops shell forward areas along LoC in Poonch

An army official said Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire using small arms, automatics and mortars from around 5.30 pm.

Pakistani troops on Monday targeted forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir with mortar shells and gunfire in violation of the ceasefire, an official said.

An Army official said Indian troops were retaliating strongly. (Reuters/Photo for representation)

“Pakistan army initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars from 1730 hours today in the Krishnaghati sector along the LoC”, the Army official said. The Indian Army was retaliating strongly and effectively, he added.

There has been a spurt in ceasefire violations along the LoC and the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir this year, resulting in the death of 30 persons, including 16 security personnel, in over 650 such incidents, according to officials.