India-Pakistan exchange arms fire across Kashmir border for fourth night
India said on Monday it had responded to 'unprovoked' firing from Pakistan along the de facto border for the fourth consecutive night, as it deepens its search for militants in the region following last week's deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir.
The April 22 assault, which claimed 26 lives, has heightened tensions in the disputed region. Indian authorities have identified two of the three suspected attackers as Pakistani nationals. Pakistan, however, has denied involvement and has called for an impartial investigation into the incident.
According to accounts from security personnel and witnesses, the militants targeted Hindus after separating victims by name in a meadow located in the Pahalgam area, shooting them at close range.
The attack has sparked widespread outrage in predominantly Hindu India, with calls for strong action against Pakistan. New Delhi accuses Islamabad of supporting and financing terrorism in Kashmir, a region both countries claim and over which they have fought two wars.
Amid escalating hostilities, both nuclear-armed neighbors have taken retaliatory measures. India has suspended its participation in the crucial Indus Waters Treaty, while Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian aircraft.
On Sunday around midnight, the Indian Army responded to small arms fire from several Pakistani military posts along the 740-kilometer (460-mile) Line of Control that divides Indian- and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. The army provided no further information and reported no injuries.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, Pakistan's military reported killing 54 Islamist militants attempting to infiltrate the country from its western border with Afghanistan over the past two days.
Following the tourist attack, Indian defense forces have launched several military exercises nationwide, though a defense official emphasized that some of these drills are part of regular preparedness operations.
.png "Advertisement")
