Multiple Cease-Fire Violations by Pakistan Killing Civilians, Indian Army Kill Eight Pakistani Soldiers in Retaliatory Firing
NEW DELHI, Nov 13: Even as India successfully test-fired the all-weather Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missiles that has a range of 30 kilometres, eight people including three soldiers, a Border Security Force (BSF) officer and four civilians were killed in an escalated multiple crease-fire violations by Pakistan and in retaliatory firing Indian army killed at least eight injured about a dozen Pakistani soldiers in Gurez sector in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday.
The army sources also reported Pakistan ceasefire violations on the Line of Control (LoC) at Uri, Nowgam and Keran sectors in north Kashmir.
Among the four dead civilians included a woman and a seven-year-old boy. All civilians were killed in Uri. Two civilians were killed in Kamalkote village and one each in Balkote and Gokhan villages of Uri where shells and mortars landed in the villages close to the Line of Control.
The Army blamed Pakistan for the ceasefire violation and said three soldiers were killed in the unprovoked violation. “Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC, spread across multiple sectors to include Dawar, Keran, Uri and Naugam. Pakistan used mortars and other weapons,” said Defense spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia. He said Pakistan deliberately targeted the civilian areas.
“Our own troops retaliated strongly causing substantial damage to Pakistan Army’s infrastructure and casualties across the LoC. Several ammunition dumps, fuel dumps and multiple terrorists’ launch pads have been damaged.”
In Nowgam sector, a BSF officer posted at Atma complex was killed in the shelling. He was identified as sub inspector Rakesh Dobal, Kalia said and added that India successfully thwarted the Pakistani attempt for infiltration.
SSP Baramulla Abdul Qayoom said shelling was still going in some areas of Uri. “Four civilians were killed in Uri and another four were injured.”
The ceasefire violation was reported from all the important sectors starting from Uri to Gurez. All these sectors have this year witnessed multiple ceasefire violations and soldiers were on high alert.
Locals in Uri said the Indian and Pakistani soldiers were targeting each-others’ pickets at Haji Peer and Kamalkote sectors on the LoC since the morning. The locals said small arms and mortars have been used during the shelling which has spread panic among the villagers near the LoC.
“This was one of the deadliest shelling in many years in the Uri sector when four civilians were killed in a day. Some shells hit the residential houses,” a Uri resident said. “The people are very scared as we could see the mortars and shells landing in the villages,” many civilians reported.
The situation in the main town Uri was tense as ambulances were sent towards the villages on LoC to ferry injured civilians. Uri has witnessed over a dozen ceasefire violations in the past six months.
The shelling has also been reported from north Kashmir’s Keran and Gurez sector since morning where the mortars have landed close to civilian populations near Izmerg, Baktore and Tarabal localities which are just a few kilometers away from the LoC, an army spokesman said.
“We were attending an election meeting when shelling began around 11 am. The intensity of shelling was heavy and people ran for cover. The markets also got closed and many people took refuge in underground bunkers. Now the shelling has stopped but people who have underground bunkers, have taken shelter in them,” a government official in Gurez said. Three civilians were also injured in Tangdhar sector, which was also pounded by the shelling.
Col Kalia said suspicious movement was observed by troops at the forward posts along the line of control (LoC) in Keran sector on Friday. “The suspected infiltration bid was foiled by alert troops. This was accompanied by initiation of an unprovoked ceasefire violation (CFV) by Pakistan along the LoC in Keran Sector by firing mortars and other weapons. Befitting response is being given,” he said, and added that ceasefire violations spread to larger areas from Keran to Uri Sectors.
“This was the second infiltration attempt within a week. The earlier unsuccessful infiltration bid in Machhil Sector on 7/ 8 November, was foiled, in which three terrorists were eliminated,” he said.
The army sources said at least eight Pakistan Army soldiers were killed in retaliatory firing by the Indian Army in response to ceasefire violations from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The list of Pakistan Army soldiers killed includes 2-3 Pakistan Army Special Service Group (SSG) commandoes,” the sources said. About a dozen Pakistani soldiers were also injured in the firing in which “a large number of Pakistan Army bunkers, fuel dumps, and launch pads have also been destroyed,” the sources added.
The escalation in tensions came only five days after three Indian troops and three terrorists were killed in an exchange along the LoC.
Meanwhile, recording a major achievement, India on Friday successfully test-fired the all-weather Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missiles (QRSAM) having a range of 30 kms wrapping up the developmental trials that had been continuing for the last few years. In the next phase, the short-range missile would be tested by the army and the air force before going into production and induction by the army, the spokesman said,
The sophisticated missile was test-fired at about 3.40 pm from a mobile launcher at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Odisha. The missile, which can strike an aerial target cruising at a height of 15 km, is launched from a mobile two-vehicle system; one carries the missile and the second, the radar that helps acquire the targets. Because it is mobile, it can stay on the move and evade counter-attacks by the enemy.
The radar can simultaneously track 100 targets and engage 6 targets. The first trial of the QRSAM was conducted on June 4, 2017.
(Manas Dasgupta)
