2 troops killed in clash along Kashmir border: Pakistan

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Two Pakistan army soldiers were killed in exchange of firing with Indian border guards along Kashmir border, the military said on Thursday.

At least 3 Indian troops were also killed in a retaliatory fire, the Pakistani army's media wing Inter Services Public Relations said in a statement.

The clash, latest in a string of border skirmishes, took place at different sectors of the Line of Control (LoC) -- a de facto border that splits the disputed Himalayan valley between the two arch rivals -- during the last 36 hours, the statement added.

In Haji Pir sector, Pakistan Army troops damaged an Indian post killing three Indian soldiers, and injuring a few, while in Dewa sector two Pakistani soldiers were killed, it added.

Meanwhile, New Delhi said on Wednesday that one Indian army officer and a civilian were killed "in ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops" along the LoC in Rampur sector of Jammu and Kashmir, Press Trust of India news agency reported citing officials.

"Pakistani troops resorted to unprovoked firing in Hajipeer area of Uri around 11.30 a.m. [0600GMT] on Wednesday," it added.

The Indian officials claimed that the shelling in Rampur sector also injured two civilians including a woman in Churunda village, and the Indian army retaliated "in adequate measure," the report said.

Long-fraught relations between the two South Asian nuclear rivals have further flared up after India scrapped the special provisions of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The region has been under a near-complete lockdown since Aug. 5.

Several rights groups including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have repeatedly called on India to lift restrictions and release political detainees.

Indian authorities, however, claim that daytime restrictions have been lifted in the region.

India and Pakistan both hold Kashmir in parts and claim it in full. China also controls part of the contested region, but it is India and Pakistan who have fought two wars over Kashmir.