An Indian soldier stands guard near the International Border. (Photo: Reuters)
Heavy firing is going on along the International Border or IB in Jammu and Kashmir's Arnia Sector, where Pakistani forces reportedly launched a fresh assault today morning, after intermittent firing overnight.
Firing by the Pakistani side was reported overnight in both Arnia and RS Pura sectors, where Pakistan Rangers targeted 15 posts of the Border Security Force or BSF, which retaliated in equal measure.
After a brief lull, Pakistan had on Saturday violated ceasefire twice along the IB and Line of Control or LoC in Poonch, drawing strong retaliation from India.
"Flat trajectory weaponry fire came at 2010 hours in our area of Operation in 3 Border Out Posts (BoPs) along International Border (IB) in Arnia sector of Jammu district on Saturday night," a BSF Spokesman said.
He said that BSF troops retaliated and intermittent fire of small arms continued from both the sides till late in the night on Saturday.
Earlier on Saturday, Pakistan troops resorted to firing on forward Indian posts along the LoC in Banwat sector of Poonch district from 1 am, a senior Army officer said.
Ceasefire violation in Shahpur, Kerani Sector, started at 12:40 pm. Indian troops guarding the border promptly retaliated, resulting in heavy exchange of fire which were underway till late night on Saturday when last reports came from the area, he said. There was no loss of life on our side, the officer said.
The last instance of firing by Pakistan along the 192km International Border was when its Rangers targeted four BSF Border Out Posts in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district for 20 minutes on Thursday night.
The International Border has witnessed heavy firing from October 1-9 that has left eight persons dead and 90 people injured, including 13 security men.
Over 32,000 people have fled from their homes near the border.
India and Pakistan troops traded heavy fire along the IB on the intervening night of October 7 and 8 after Pakistan Rangers shelled almost the entire IB by targeting 60 Border Out Posts and over 130 border hamlets in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts of J&K, in which 15 people including 3 BSF jawans were injured.
There have been over three dozen ceasefire violations along the IB since October 1.