The ceasefire violation comes about a month after Pakistan politician Anwaar ul-Haq called for a jihad against India. He announced that his government would mobilise all available resources to expel Indian forces from Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistani soldiers on Wednesday opened unprovoked fire on Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district. In response, the Indian Army retaliated strongly, causing significant damage to the Pakistani side, according to security officials. Earlier, two Indian soldiers lost their lives in an IED blast suspected to be planted by terrorists near the LoC in Akhnoor sector of Jammu district.
Since the ceasefire agreement was reaffirmed on February 25, 2021, violations along the LoC had become rare. However, officials reported that Pakistani troops fired without provocation at a forward post in the Tarkundi area. The Indian Army responded with force, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy forces.
The extent of damage on the Pakistan side was not known immediately but the officials said the enemy forces suffered “heavy casualties”. The Indian Army neither confirmed nor denied the information.
The ceasefire violation comes about a month after Pakistan politician Anwaar ul-Haq called for a jihad against India. He announced that his government would mobilise all available resources to expel Indian forces from Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army sustained minor injuries after accidentally stepping on a landmine in the same area. He was immediately taken to a military hospital for treatment.
Officials also noted that tensions along the LoC remain high as hostile activities from across the border have increased in the past week. This was the first ceasefire violation of the year and the fourth cross-border incident in the last five days.
On Monday, a soldier was injured by cross-border gunfire while monitoring a forward post in the Kalal area of Nowshera sector, Rajouri district. Earlier, on February 8, terrorists opened fire on an Indian Army patrol in the Keri sector of Rajouri. Reports suggest that the terrorists were waiting for an opportunity to infiltrate Indian territory.
On the night of February 4-5, a landmine explosion in the Krishna Ghati sector caused damage to infiltrating terrorists attempting to cross into India.
On February 10, Lieutenant General Naveen Sachdeva, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the White Knight Corps, reviewed the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri. The Indian Army stated, “The GOC White Knight Corps, along with GOC Ace of Spades and GOC Crossed Swords Division, visited forward areas of the Rajouri sector to assess the current security situation and operational developments regarding Pakistani activities.”
