Five dead in New Year's Eve clashes on India-Pakistan border
Clashes kill four Pakistani Rangers, one Indian border guard
Clash kills four Pakistani Interior-ministry troops, one Indian border guard. PHOTO: AFP
SRINAGAR:
At least four Pakistani Rangers personnel were killed by Indian border forces on New Year's Eve, ending a year in which clashes between the neighbours have escalated and hopes for reconciliation faded.
"We have retaliated effectively ... four Pakistani Rangers have been killed along the International Border in Samba sector this evening," said Rakesh Sharma, BSF Inspector General for the Jammu Frontier.
Wednesday's incident, on the international border in Jammu and Kashmir, followed the killing earlier in the day of an Indian border guard, a senior officer from India's Border Security Force (BSF) said.
"As Pakistani Rangers suffered casualties, they waved white flags, asking BSF to stop the firing so that they can lift the bodies of the dead men. We stopped the firing after their request," Sharma said.
Frontier clashes have intensified in recent months, dashing hopes that a brief thaw in relations after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was elected in May would lead to a calming of the situation.
The worst violence took place in the Kashmir Valley, where separatist militants killed 11 Indian soldiers and police in early December, the worst losses in six years.
Jammu and Kashmir held state elections in December in which Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party made gains. While leaving the party short of a majority, the result could open the way for it to form a ruling coalition with a regional party.
Second time in a row: Indian BSF resort to unprovoked firing near border
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) resorted to intense unprovoked firing late last night (Wednesday) in the Shakargarh sector, according to ISPR.
The firing continued till early morning (Thursday) and Pakistani troops responded to the firing.
Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, two Punjab Rangers personnel were killed when troops from the BSF resorted to unprovoked firing at the Shakargarh sector.
“The personnel are seriously injured and BSF is not letting them to recover,” said a Rangers spokesperson earlier in the day.
At least four Pakistani Rangers personnel were killed by Indian border forces on New Year's Eve, ending a year in which clashes between the neighbours have escalated and hopes for reconciliation faded.
"We have retaliated effectively ... four Pakistani Rangers have been killed along the International Border in Samba sector this evening," said Rakesh Sharma, BSF Inspector General for the Jammu Frontier.
Wednesday's incident, on the international border in Jammu and Kashmir, followed the killing earlier in the day of an Indian border guard, a senior officer from India's Border Security Force (BSF) said.
"As Pakistani Rangers suffered casualties, they waved white flags, asking BSF to stop the firing so that they can lift the bodies of the dead men. We stopped the firing after their request," Sharma said.
Frontier clashes have intensified in recent months, dashing hopes that a brief thaw in relations after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was elected in May would lead to a calming of the situation.
The worst violence took place in the Kashmir Valley, where separatist militants killed 11 Indian soldiers and police in early December, the worst losses in six years.
Jammu and Kashmir held state elections in December in which Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party made gains. While leaving the party short of a majority, the result could open the way for it to form a ruling coalition with a regional party.
Second time in a row: Indian BSF resort to unprovoked firing near border
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) resorted to intense unprovoked firing late last night (Wednesday) in the Shakargarh sector, according to ISPR.
The firing continued till early morning (Thursday) and Pakistani troops responded to the firing.
Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, two Punjab Rangers personnel were killed when troops from the BSF resorted to unprovoked firing at the Shakargarh sector.
“The personnel are seriously injured and BSF is not letting them to recover,” said a Rangers spokesperson earlier in the day.