Pakistan violates ceasefire, targets IB areas in Samba, Jammu and Kathua

Jammu: Pakistan Rangers violated ceasefire several times and resorted to firing on Border Out Posts along the International Border in Samba, Kathua and Jammu districts, on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jammu and Kashmir.

"Pakistan Rangers resorted to small-arms firing at a few BoPs along IB in Arnia sectors in Jammu district at 11:20, 11:25 and 11:40 hours today," a BSF spokesman said here.

Earlier in the morning, Pakistani troops fired on forward posts along IB in Ramgarh sector of Samba district, he said, adding that in early hours too Pakistan Rangers fired on posts from Hiranagar sector of Kathua district.

They also fired along Basantar forward belt in Kathua district from 07:30 hours to 09:00 hours, the spokesman said, adding that during the night there were two ceasefire violations.

"BSF troops guarding the border did not retaliate," he said, adding, "There was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the firing."

This is the third ceasefire violation since Wednesday when Pakistani troops opened fire on the Narianpur BoP in Ramgarh sector at around 20:30 hours.

The ceasefire violation on Wednesday came 72 hours after the last instance of firing from across the border by Pakistani troops on the night of October 19 in Pargwal sector of Jammu district.

Pakistani troops had also violated the ceasefire on October 17 and 18 by resorting to firing on BoPs in the Makwal and Allah Mahi Da Kothay (AMK) areas of Jammu district.

Before that, the ceasefire was violated twice on October 17 along the Line of Control (LoC) in Hamirpur sector of Poonch district. Ceasefire violations also took place the previous night.

In the firing from across the LoC in Saujian-Kirni-Shahpur belts of Poonch on October 15, a seven-year-old boy, Riyaz of Kuiyian Gotirian village, was injured.

The IB and LoC in Jammu region have witnessed heavy firing and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops since October 1 which have left nine persons dead and more than 95, including 13 security men, injured.

Around 30,000 people have fled their border homes leaving 113 hamlets deserted along the international border.

Modi visited Siachen Glacier and spent Diwali with troops posted there and later flew to Srinagar, which is recovering from devastating floods.