Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district by resorting to unprovoked firing following a mine explosion, a defence spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday.
The Indian Army responded effectively to the ceasefire violation, maintaining its dominance along the LoC, and ensuring that the situation remained under control. According to official sources, the violation occurred at approximately 1:10 pm on Tuesday.
While the Indian Army has not officially confirmed any casualties on the Pakistani side, sources reported that five enemy soldiers sustained injuries due to the mine blast and the ensuing exchange of fire. Jammu-based defence PRO Lt Col Suneel Bartwal, in a revised statement, stated that on April 1, a mine blast occurred in the Krishna Ghati Sector as Pakistani troops patrolled along the LoC.
This was followed by unprovoked firing from the Pakistani Army, violating the ceasefire agreement. He further assured that Indian troops responded appropriately, maintaining control over the situation along the LoC.
An earlier statement had attributed the mine blast to the intrusion of Pakistani troops across the LoC into Indian territory. However, the revised statement indicated that the explosion occurred while the Pakistan Army was patrolling along the LoC.
Amid growing tensions, on February 21, the Indian and Pakistani military authorities held a brigade-commander level flag meeting at the Chakkan-Da-Bagh crossing point in Poonch to discuss recent ceasefire violations.
The 75-minute meeting focused on de-escalating tensions and reinforcing the need to maintain peace along the border, especially in light of multiple incidents of cross-border firing and an improvised explosive device (IED) attack.
While ceasefire violations along the LoC have been relatively rare since India and Pakistan reaffirmed their ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021, there have been several recent incidents in the Poonch-Rajouri sector. Notably, two Indian Army personnel, including a captain, lost their lives, and another was injured in an IED attack carried out by suspected terrorists in the Akhnoor sector on February 11.
In addition, two Army personnel sustained injuries in separate incidents of small arms fire from across the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts. Moreover, two other soldiers were injured in separate landmine explosions in Poonch during February.
The recent violations underscore the ongoing security challenges along the LoC, with the Indian Army remaining vigilant to safeguard national security and stability in the region.
Also Read: Pakistan kills 16 terrorists at Pak-Afghan border
Follow us
