Pakistan violates ceasefire again, troops open heavy fire on Indian posts

Amid heightened tension on border, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire twice on Monday targeting Indian forward posts along the International Border in Poonch and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistani troops opened heavy fire using mortars, rockets and small arms on Indian forward posts along the LoC in Poonch and Durga Battalion areas around 0150 hours and fired small arms on Kothay Border Out Post along IB in Samba district at around 1900 hours, spokesmen of Army and BSF said. There was no loss of life on Indian side, they said. Pakistani troops fired at 11 posts in Digwar, Mankote and Durga Battalion areas along the LoC in Poonch. Indian troops guarding the borderline took up positions and retaliated resulting in heavy exchanges in Poonch. In Samba, the BSF troops retaliated, resulting in brief exchange of fire, a BSF officer said. This is the third consecutive day that Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire. Pakistani troops have violated the ceasefire for the sixth time since Saturday. "Pakistan troops opened heavy firing with small arms, mortar shells and rockets on Indian forward posts along LoC in Poonch and Durga Battalion areas around 0150 hours," Defence Spokesman S N Acharya said on Monday. "It was yet another ceasefire violation by Pakistan," the spokesman said, adding the firing took place from 0150 hours till 0600 hours. BSF officer said "there was firing by Pakistani troops on Kothay Border Out Post along IB in Samba district at around 1930 hours this evening." There was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the Pakistani firing, Acharya said.   PTI