Four civilians residing in the border villages of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) were killed on Monday by Indian shelling while six Indian Army soldiers were killed by retaliatory fire by Pakistan Army troops, confirmed the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The cross border shelling by Indian forces also injured 18 civilians.
“It was the heaviest mortar shelling since morning in the Nakyal sector, which has left two people dead and 10 others wounded, according to initial reports,” said Sardar Zeeshan Nisar, assistant commissioner Nakyal.
The deceased were identified as Altaf, 40, a resident of Chota Nar Dabsi village and Nazia, 30, a resident of Mathrani village.
Cross-border shelling was also reported from Samahni sector in Bhimber district.
Two children, Tasaver and Ateeq, were killed in Baroh village and another three were wounded in the same sector.
Not only the vulnerable villages in Nakyal tehsil, but also those in the neighbouring tehsils of Kotli, Charhoi and Khuiratta in district Kotli were hit by Indian shelling, according to an official at the Kotli deputy commissioner’s office.
“Fortunately, so far no casualties have been reported from other tehsils,” he said.
On Saturday, 4 children were killed and two others were wounded in Keri sector of Charhoi tehsil.
The LoC in district Kotli remained calm on Sunday, but only until 8:30pm.
“In the southern Poonch district, Battal, Mandhol and Madarpur sectors also came under Intense Indian shelling, leaving three women and two men wounded,” said Deputy Commissioner Poonch Chaudhary Altaf.
Residents in different affected areas said that Pakistani troops were responding to Indian shelling.
According to Mr Zaeem, an official at a control room established by the AJK government in the office of State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) in Muzaffarabad, the latest killings have pushed the death toll along the LoC to 27, while the number of injured persons is 97.
These figures have been compiled since October 5, Mr Zaeem said.
He said that during the current spell of ceasefire violations, around 11,000 families have been forced to quit their homes in the most vulnerable areas along the unmarked dividing line (LoC).
Of these displaced families, the maximum, 8869, had left their homes from Kotli district followed by 1,588 from the southernmost Bhimber district.
AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider said on Monday that his administration had been bracing for more evacuations as the situation along the LoC was extremely critical.
“If xenophobic Indian rulers are not reined in by the international community, I am afraid around 500,000 people living along the LoC in Azad Kashmir may be forced to move to safer areas,” he said.
