Indian Army Causes Heavy Damage Across LoC After Pakistan's Ceasefire Violation

Srinagar: The Indian Army on Friday said it has inflicted a heavy damage on Pakistani army's gun areas and terrorist launchpads after unprovoked ceasefire violation by the "enemy side" in two areas along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

A defence spokesperson said the Indian Army retaliated "effectively and strongly" to the ceasefire violation in Keran sector in Kupwara district this afternoon, with precision targeting of gun areas, terrorist launchpads and ammunition dump across the LoC.

"(There are) reports of heavy damage on the enemy side," he added.

Police officials said Pakistan violated the ceasefire in Uri area of Baramulla district as well.

A video footage by a drone camera released by the Indian Army on Friday shows precision targeting of a terror launch pad and an ammunition dump on Pakistan side of the LoC in Keran sector.

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The Indian Army, according to defence sources, has used a battery of artillery guns to target an artillery formation across the LoC that was being used by Pakistan for indiscriminate targeting of defence and civilian facilities in Keran and Tangdhar sectors.

The heavy firing exchanges continued between the two sides for several hours. Fearing for their lives, residents of at least half-a-dozen villages close to the LoC abandoned their homes to run to safer places away from the line of enemy fire.

Pakistan has been increasingly violating the ceasefire agreement with India even as the focus in the two countries has shifted to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

All through the week, it fired small arms and mortar shells along the LoC in Poonch district.

Last week, it injured six security personnel in Sunderbani-Nowshera sector.

In March, Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik told Parliament that Pakistan violated the ceasefire at least 646 times between January 1 and February 23 this year.

Over 3,200 ceasefire violations were recorded in 2019.

Recently, five Indian Army special forces soldiers and five terrorists were killed in Sunday’s hand-to-hand combat and gunfight on the Line of Control, in this year’s bloodiest encounter in any operation against militants in Jammu & Kashmir.

The Indian Army launched Operation Randori Behak in Keran sector, at the Line of Control and engaged Pakistan-supported infiltrators in a close quarters battle in heavy snow, neutralising the entire infiltrating batch of five terrorists.

In this battle, however, the Army lost five of its best soldiers, three on the site and two more succumbed while they were airlifted to a nearby military hospital.

(With Agency Inputs)

Read More: Bloodiest Gunfight: 5 Terrorists, 5 Soldiers Killed In LoC