LoC heats up after brief calm

–Three soldiers embrace martyrdom, one wounded as India fires across LoC

–Teenager martyred and three women injured as well

–Pakistan Army says it killed seven Indian troops in response

ISLAMABAD: At least seven Indian soldiers were killed and a dozen injured after Pakistan Army responded to the cross-border firing that had left three Pakistan soldiers dead and one injured on Tuesday.

An 18-year-old was martyred and three women were also injured. The injured were shifted to a nearby health facility.

Relative calm along the Line of Control (LoC) over the past week proved to be shortlived after India troops resorted to unprovoked firing in Rawalakot sector’s Rakhchakri area.

The martyred soldiers were identified as Lance Havaldar Aziz Azizulla from Noshero Feroz, Subedar Mohammad Riaz of Jhang and Sepoy Shahid Mansib, a resident of Abbottabad, said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

Indian forces suffered heavy damage during the cross border firing, resulting in the destruction of their four check posts, as a result of the effective response from the army, said ISPR.

Further, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Faisal also tweeted about the incident stating, “Indian troops resorted to unprovoked fire in Rakhchakri, Rawalakot Sector along Line of Control( LOC). Subedar Muhammad Riaz, Lance Havaldar Aziz Ullah, and Sepoy Shahid Mansib embraced Shahadat, while one soldier got injured. Pakistan army responded effectively. #PakistanArmy.”

Indian troops resorted to unprovoked fire in Rakhchakri, Rawalakot Sector along Line of Control( LOC). Subedar Muhammad Riaz, Lance Havaldar Aziz Ullah and Sepoy Shahid Mansib embraced Shahadat, while one soldier got injured.
Pakistan army responded effectively. #PakistanArmy

— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) April 2, 2019

“Indian unprovoked aggression along LoC is condemned and is being effectively responded,” he further said condemning the violation.

Indian unprovoked aggression along LoC is condemned and is being effectively responded.

— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) April 2, 2019

The tension between Pakistan and India rose significantly after Pulwama suicide bombing that killed at least 44 Indian paramilitary troops. As a result, tensions at LoC too heated up, follwed by two days of intense firing and shelling across the line.

The risk of conflict rose dramatically when India launched an air strike on what it said was a militant training base inside Pakistani territory near Balakot. The attack targeted the Jaish-e-Mohammad militants, a group that claimed credit for the suicide attack.

Subsequently, Pakistan Air Force shot down two Indian jets the next day, as they strayed into Pakistani airspace chasing Pakistani jets, returning after carrying out airstrikes in occupied Kashmir. As a result, an Indian pilot was captured, which was later returned, as a peace gesture by the Pakistani government. Since then and with the intervention of the global powers, Pakistan and India are significantly cooled down.

Pakistan and India have fought three wars since independence from British colonial rule in 1947, two over Kashmir, and went to the brink of a fourth in 2002 after a Pakistani militant attack on India’s parliament.