India, Pakistan armies target each other in Kashmir

The armies of India and Pakistan Monday again fired on each other's positions on the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir, Indian officials said.

The ceasefire violation took place in Garhi, Mendhar and Poonch sectors of frontier Poonch district, around 185 km southwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Pakistani troops today once again targeted our forward posts with heavy machine guns and mortar guns in Garhi, Mendhar and Poonch sectors," said Col. R K Palta, Indian army spokesman. "Our troops retaliated effectively with similar caliber weapons to Pakistani firing and the exchange is going on."

The skirmishes between two armies are going on at a daily basis with Monday marking the seventeenth day of confrontation.

The LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts.

According to Palta, intermittent firing was ongoing until Monday night. He, however, said no loss of life or damage was reported from the Indian side because of the firing.

Both India and Pakistan blame each other of resorting to unprovoked firing that triggers skirmishes, resulting in civilian or troop casualties on either side.

The killings and skirmishes on the LoC took place at a time when New Delhi and Islamabad were trying to normalize ties and resume the talks. The confrontation has heightened tension between New Delhi and Islamabad and overshadowed the resumption of Indo- Pak dialogue process.

New Delhi and Islamabad in 2003 agreed to observe a ceasefire along the international border and the LoC in Kashmir. Though some violations have been reported on both sides, the ceasefire remains in effect.

The latest incidents of firing however have put a question mark on the 2003 agreement.