Pak troops violate J-K ceasefire, suffer losses as Indian Army retaliates

Pakistani troops on Wednesday violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing on Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting a befitting response by the Indian Army, security officials said.

The extent of damage on the Pakistan side was not known immediately but the officials said the enemy forces suffered heavy casualties. The Indian Army neither confirmed nor denied the information.

The ceasefire violation by Pakistan in the Krishna Ghati sector came a day after two Indian Army personnel including a captain were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion triggered by suspected terrorists near the LoC in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu district.

The ceasefire violation along the LoC is very rare ever since India and Pakistan renewed the ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021.

The officials said Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing on a forward post in the Tarkundi area along the LoC, prompting a strong retaliation by the Indian Army which resulted in "heavy casualties" among the enemy forces.

An undated video of a Pakistani army officer is making rounds on social media paying last respects to killed soldiers.

Meanwhile, the officials said a junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the Indian Army sustained minor injuries when he accidentally stepped over a landmine in the same sector this evening.

The JCO, who is a resident of Mendhar, was part of a patrolling party keeping a close vigil on the LoC to prevent infiltration of terrorists, they said, adding the injured officer was evacuated to the military hospital.

The situation along the LoC is tense following a spurt in hostile activities from across the border over the past week, the officials said.

This was the first ceasefire violation this year and a fourth cross-border incident in five days.

On Monday, a soldier was hit by a bullet from across the border while manning a forward post in the Kalal area of the Nowshera sector in Rajouri district while an Army patrol came under terrorist fire from a forest across the LoC in Rajouri's Keri sector on February 8. The terrorists were apparently waiting for an opportunity to sneak into the Indian side.

During the intervening night of February 4 and 5, a land mine explosion reportedly resulted in some casualties to terrorists attempting to infiltrate into the Indian side from across the LoC in the Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district.

On February 10, General Officer Commanding of the Jammu-based White Knight Corps, Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva, reviewed "hostile activities" along the LoC in Rajouri district.

"GOC White Knight Corps, along with GOC Ace of Spades and GOC Crossed Swords divisions, visited forward areas of the Rajouri sector for an operational update on the prevailing security situation and the hostile activities," the Army had said in a post on X.

The post, shared by the White Knight Corps on its official social media handles, said the corps commander complimented all ranks for their vigil and relentless operational focus.

He also urged them to remain prepared for all contingencies, the Army said.