Cross-Border Firing Reported in Kashmir Amid Rising Tensions

For the second consecutive day, Pakistani and Indian forces engaged in an exchange of fire on Saturday. This escalation occurs amidst heightened tensions between the two nuclear powers following an attack that resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

According to the Indian Army, their personnel responded to what they described as “unprovoked” small arms fire. The firing originated from multiple Pakistani Army posts and commenced around midnight on Friday, along the 740-kilometer (460-mile) Line of Control, which serves as the de facto border dividing the Pakistani and Indian-administered sections of IIOJK.

The Indian Army stated that Pakistani forces also initiated sporadic gunfire around midnight on Thursday. They reported no casualties on the Indian side.

The United States has condemned the attack in Pahalgam, stating that it is not taking a position on IIOJK.

As of now, there has been no immediate statement issued by the Pakistani military.

Police in IIOJK have stated that they have identified three individuals as suspects in the April 22 attack, including two individuals of Pakistani nationality. Pakistan has refuted any involvement and its defense minister has advocated for an international investigation into the incident.

In the aftermath of the attack, both Pakistan and India have implemented a series of retaliatory measures. Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines, while India has suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, which governs the sharing of water resources from the Indus River and its tributaries.

Despite a decades-long ceasefire agreement concerning the disputed region of IIOJK, Pakistani and Indian troops continue to exchange fire intermittently. Both countries lay claim to IIOJK and have fought two of their three wars over the territory.