Pakistani troops shell villages, Army posts

Notwithstanding India's protest, Pakistani troops continued to pound villages and Army posts along the LoC in Poonch district with 120 mm and 82 mm mortar bombs today, making it the third ceasefire violation in the past 24 hours.
Yesterday India had summoned Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit and lodged a strong protest over the unabated ceasefire violations by the neighbouring country's troops along LoC, in which six Indian civilians have lost their lives.
"Pakistan army breached ceasefire in Balakot sector using mortars at around 7 PM onwards, the firing is still going on," defense spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta said.

"No causality is reported till the last reports came in," he said.
This is the ninth consecutive day that Pakistan violated the ceasefire. There have been 41 violations of the 2003 ceasefire accord in August this year so far. There has been over 230 ceasefire violations along the Indo-Pak border this year.
Mehta said today, "Pakistan troops resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violations in Saujiyan and Mandi sectors of Poonch district and shelled forward posts and civilian areas with 120 mm and 82 mm mortar bombs and heavy machine guns (HMGs) along LoC from 2200 hours last night to 0100 hours."

Army gave effective reply resulting in exchange of fire, he said.

A woman was killed and five persons were injured yesterday after Pakistani troops fired 120 mm and 82 mm mortars bombs, HMGs and RPGs on border posts and civilian areas in Poonch and Rajouri districts.
The repeated ceasefire violations have claimed six lives in two days, drawing strong protests from India.
There have been repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the over 110 kms long borderline in Poonch, Sujiyan Balakote, Hamirpur, Mandi sectors of Poonch district and Manjakote sector in Rajouri district between August 15-17.