India, Pakistan troops exchange fire on Kashmir LoC

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir - Troops of India and Pakistan on Monday exchanged heavy fire and targeted each other's positions on the Line of Control (LoC) dividing Kashmir, officials said.

The two sides exchanged fire in frontier Rajouri district, about 222 km southwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Today at around 8:15 am (local time) Pakistan initiated unprovoked cease-fire violation by using mortars and firing small arms along the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri," an Indian army official said. "Our side also gave a befitting reply to the other side."

The exchange of fire was going on until last reports poured in.

According to officials so far no loss of life was reported in the skirmishes on the Indian or Pakistani side.

The Pakistani side has not commented yet.

Earlier this month a border guard belonging to India's Border Security Force (BSF) and a 6-year old girl were killed, while 14 people including nine civilians wounded in skirmishes. On Pakistani side, the firing left a 70-year-old man and three troopers dead.

There has been no respite in the cross LoC firing ever since the two countries came face-to-face with each other on Feb 26.

Both sides of the divide have suffered civilian as well as troop casualties during the skirmishes.

The two countries are currently at loggerheads with each other for the past several years. There has been no considerable improvement in relations of the two countries or resumption of bilateral talks ever since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of India in 2014.

Both New Delhi and Islamabad accuse each other of resorting to unprovoked firings and violating cease-fire agreements. And both sides maintain that their troops gave befitting reply.

LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts.