Pakistani Guns fall silent along LoC after 8 days of shelling

The guns fell silent today in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district after eight days of shelling and firing by Pakistani troops along the LoC from where 2,200 people had to be evacuated.

Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by resorting to firing and shelling for for eight consecutive days from May 10 till yesterday on forward posts and civilian areas along the international border in Jammu and Rajouri districts and along the Line of Control in Rajouri from May 13-17.

“There was no firing or shelling reported anywhere from LoC areas in Rajouri district. Today peace prevailed along the border with Pakistan after several days of firing and shelling,” Deputy Commissioner of Rajouri Shahid Iqbal Choudhary told PTI.

However, the number of the people evacuated from LoC areas in Rajouri district has gone up to over 2,200, he said.

Yesterday, Pakistan Army resorted to firing on forward posts along LoC in Balakote sector from 12.50 AM and continued till 1.30 AM, a defence spokesman said adding the Indian Army posts retaliated strongly and effectively.

On May 14, Pakistan resorted to indiscriminate firing of small arms, 82 mm and 120 mm mortars from 6 AM and continued till late in the night along the LoC in Nowshera and Manjakote sectors of Rajouri.

Ceasefire violations also took place in Chitibakri area of Chingus and Manjakote area, Doongi, Niaka, Panjgrain and Tarkundi areas.

On May 13, authorities ordered closure of 51 schools in Nowshera sector and also Manjakote and Doongi zones even as two people were killed and three injured in the shelling.

On May 11 and 10, Pakistan Army resorted to heavy shelling and firing in Nowshera belt killing a woman and injuring two people including her husband.

“More than 12,000 persons have been affected in shelling which led to three deaths, six injured, 65 livestock dead and damage to standing crops apart from nearly 45 partially and severely damaged houses in Pakistani shelling on May 11, 13 and 14,” the DC said.

Overall, of 64 villages along LoC in Rajouri, 23 are located in Nowshera sub-division where eight villages are badly affected and remaining 15 villages sustained minor damage while five villages in Doongi and nine villages in Manjakote have been affected, he added.

The governemnt has said Pakistan breached the truce along the Line of Control 449 times in 2016 as compared to 405 violations in 2015. 23 security personnel were killed in the two-year period.

(Source : economictimes.indiatimes.com)

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