J&K: Five Pakistani soldiers dead as Army fires back

Srinagar: At least five Pakistani soldiers were reportedly killed and six others injured in retaliatory firing by the Indian Army in the Bhimber and Battal sectors of PoK, defence sources said here on Thursday. 

Earlier in the morning, a General Engineering Reserve Force (GREF) labourer was killed and two others, including a BSF head constable, were injured in what officials said was unprovoked firing by Pakistani troops at Indian forward posts along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir. The Army said it retaliated to ceasefire violations and added that the BSF head constable was out of danger.

Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were also killed in a gunfight with security forces in Sopore area of northwestern Baramulla district. Officials identified the slain militants as Aijaz Ahmed Mir and Basharat Ahmed Sheikh, residents of Sopore’s Brath Kalan and Bomai areas, respectively.

They said that the duo was involved in a number of militancy-related incidents, including throwing of a hand grenade at a police party near a bank in the town, injuring four cops on Wednesday.

These incidents came on a day when Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat held a marathon meeting with all seven key Army commanders and other senior officers here to review the security situation along the India-Pakistan borders and the operational and logistical preparedness of the armed forces.

About the ceasefire violations, defence spokesman in Jammu Lt. Col. Manish Mehta said, “Pakistan’s Army resorted to mortar shelling and firing on forward posts along the LoC in Nowshera sector in Rajouri district from 7.30 am”. The Pakistani troops also opened fire and shelled posts along the LoC in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district from 7.40 am, he added. Firing by Pakistani troops was reported also from Balnoi and Mankote sub-sectors of the LoC.

Mr Mehta said, “The Indian Army posts are retaliating strongly and effectively and the firing is presently on”. Army officials said that the Pakistani troops earlier initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics, 82 mm and 120 mm mortars both in Nowshera and Krishna Ghati sectors. 

In Islamabad, Pakistani authorities said two civilians were killed and five others injured as Indian troops resorted to “unprovoked firing” in Battal, Jandrot and Hotspring sectors of the LoC and that the Pakistani troops “effectively responded to Indian firing”. 

A statement issued in Islamabad said that director general (SA & SAARC), Mohammad Faisal, summoned Indian deputy high commissioner J.P. Singh and condemned the “unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces” at 7.15 am on June 1 along the LoC in Battal, Jandrot and Kotli sectors.