On Wednesday, Pakistani forces reportedly violated the ceasefire by firing unprovoked at Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. The Indian Army responded immediately, security officials confirmed.
While the extent of damage on the Pakistani side remains unclear, officials indicated that there were "significant casualties on the enemy side." However, the Indian Army has neither confirmed nor denied these claims.
The ceasefire breach in the Krishna Ghati sector followed the tragic loss of two Indian Army personnel, including a captain, in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast triggered by suspected terrorists near the LoC in Jammu’s Akhnoor sector a day earlier.
Since India and Pakistan reaffirmed their ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021, such violations along the Line of Control (LoC) have been rare.
"A large number of Pakistani Army personnel suffered heavy casualties after receiving a strong response from the Indian Army following their unprovoked firing from a forward post in Tarkundi," an official stated.
Social media was flooded with videos purportedly showing a Pakistani Army officer performing last rites for fallen comrades.
Meanwhile, later in the evening in the same sector, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army sustained minor injuries after stepping on a landmine. The JCO, a native of Mendhar, was part of a patrolling unit monitoring the LoC to prevent terrorist infiltration. He was promptly evacuated to a military hospital for treatment.
Officials have noted a recent surge in cross-border hostilities, leading to rising tensions along the LoC.
This incident marked the first ceasefire violation of the year and the fourth cross-border incident within five days.
On Monday, a soldier was struck by gunfire from across the border while stationed at a forward post in the Nowshera sector’s Kalal area of Rajouri district. Additionally, on February 8, an Army patrol came under terrorist fire from a forested area across the LoC in Rajouri’s Keri sector, suggesting an attempted infiltration.
During the night between February 4 and 5, a landmine explosion reportedly caused casualties among terrorists attempting to cross into Indian territory through the Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch.
On February 10, Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Jammu-based White Knight Corps, reviewed the escalating clashes along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri.
According to a post by the Indian Army on the social media platform X, the GOC visited forward positions in Rajouri along with commanders from the Ace of Spades and Crossed Swords divisions to conduct an operational assessment of the security situation and recent hostilities.
The White Knight Corps stated on social media that the corps commander commended the troops for their vigilance and unwavering operational readiness while urging them to remain combat-ready at all times.
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