New Surge of Violence in Kashmir Following Indian Strikes: Dozens Dead on Both Sides
Renewed Gunfire Reported Between Indian and Pakistani Armed Forces
New exchanges of gunfire between Indian and Pakistani armed forces were reported from Wednesday night to Thursday along the Line of Control (LoC), which serves as the de facto border between the two countries in the disputed Kashmir region, the Indian Army announced on Thursday.
These clashes come on the heels of the most intense military confrontation between India and Pakistan in over twenty years. This escalation was triggered by Indian airstrikes conducted on Wednesday on Pakistani territory, in retaliation for the bombing that occurred on April 22 in Pahalgam, Indian Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 25 Indian citizens and resulted in the death of a Nepalese national.
According to Pakistani Army spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the Indian missiles and subsequent gunfire led to the deaths of at least 31 Pakistani civilians and left 57 injured.
In retaliation, Pakistani artillery fire resulted in the deaths of 13 Indian civilians and also injured 57 others, according to the Indian news agency PTI, which cited official sources.
The district of Poonch, located southwest of Srinagar, has been particularly hard-hit by this outbreak of violence, accounting for all of the reported deaths as well as 42 injuries.
