India admits ceasefire violations under 'Operation Arjun'

India’s Border Security Force claims targeting villagers and security forces in cross-border shelling

India has admitted ceasefire violations and targeting Pakistani civilians and security forces in border areas along the Line of Control (LoC) and Working Boundary (WB), The Times of India reported on Wednesday.

The Border Security Force (BSF) using codenamed 'Operation Arjun' targeted villagers and security forces in cross-border shelling. As part of the operation, the BSF claimed they used small, medium and area weapons, causing damages on the other side of the border and killing seven soldiers and 11 civilians.



On September 22, the Pakistan Army’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Maj-Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza raised the issue of deliberate targeting of Pakistani civilians in the vicinity of working boundary with his Indian counterpart, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

The contact between the two DGMOs came after two women were martyred in unprovoked shelling by the BSF in border village in Sialkot, raising the death toll to six in Punjab.

Similarly, the Foreign Ministry also summoned the Indian high commissioner to record a strong protest over India forces’ recent ceasefire violations along the working boundary that left at least six civilians dead and dozens others wounded.

In 2017 to date, Indian forces have carried out more than 872 ceasefire violations along the LoC and the WB, resulting in the killing of 40 innocent civilians and injuries to 148, compared to 382 ceasefire violations in 2016, according to the Foreign Ministry figures.