News Story: Indian firing kills 1 Pakistani civilian: Pakistan's army

ISLAMABAD, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistan's army said that at least one civilian was killed and four others injured in Indian firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed Kashmir region on Wednesday.

"Indian troops resorted to unprovoked fire along LoC in Nikiyal Sector targeting civil population with heavy weapons including mortars and anti-tank guided missile (ATGMs)," a statement from the military said.

"Pakistan Army troops responded effectively on posts undertaking firing. Reports of casualties to Indian troops and material," the statement said.

Pakistan and India had declared ceasefire along the LoC in the disputed Kashmir region and the Working Boundary in 2003. Both, however, routinely accuse each other of violating the ceasefire.

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News Story: Indian army says militant killed on Kashmir LoC

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Indian army Tuesday claimed it has foiled an infiltration bid along Line of Control (LoC), dividing Kashmir by killing a militant.

The infiltration bid as per Indian army officials was foiled in Uri sector of frontier Baramulla district, about 90 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

According to Indian army spokesman Col. Rajesh Kalia, the militant was trying to infiltrate deep inside Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"An infiltration bid was foiled today in general area Zorawar sector of Uri during which a militant was killed," Kalia said. "A weapon has been recovered and operation is ongoing in the area."

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News Story: Firing on Kashmir border claims civilian lives on both sides

NEW DELHI, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- With no let up in skirmishes on Line of Control (LoC) and international border (IB) dividing Kashmir, the civilians on both sides of the divide continue to bear the brunt.

On Thursday evening, the two sides exchanged fire in Arnia, Ramgarh and R S Pura sectors along the International Border in Jammu and Samba districts.

According to police, the firing wounded four civilians, besides damaging several houses.

"Four civilians were injured in the firing," a police spokesman said. "The firing also perished cattle besides damaging residential houses."

The spokesman said authorities have evacuated around 800 civilians to safer places.

Meanwhile, four civilians including two women were killed on Pakistani side in Charwah sector on Thursday.

Read the full story at Xinhua

Related Story:

• 6 civilians killed, 26 injured in Indian firing: Pakistani army

News Report: China Has Reason to be Jittery About Indo-Japanese Geniality

Experts are optimistic that the counterweight presented by increased Indian and Japanese cooperation may make China more sensitive to international norms.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — The grand hospitality extended by India to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the kick-starting of ambitious long-term joint projects and the trilateral talks of foreign ministers of India, Japan and the US on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, have clearly ruffled China's feathers, with its media mincing no words in deploring the India-Japan bonhomie.

Experts in international relations keeping a close watch on the developments say China has strong reasons to be uneasy about developments between India and Japan over the past month.

"China surely has to worry about India and Japan coming closer. Both Japan and India have been historically suspicious of China's intentions. These anxieties have been reinforced by recent Chinese behavior," professor Swaran Singh of the School of International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University told Sputnik.

News Story: India, Pakistan troops exchange fire on Kashmir border

by Peerzada Arshad Hamid

NEW DELHI, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- The troops of India and Pakistan exchanged heavy fire and shelling on Monday for the fourth-straight day on the International Border (IB) in Kashmir, officials said.

The exchange of fire was reported along the IB in Arnia area of R S Pura sector of Jammu, the winter capital city of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Pakistani troops again violated the cease-fire by firing mortars and resorting to heavy firing in Arnia sector along the IB last night. The shelling targeting Indian positions and civilian areas started around 9:00 p.m. (local time) and was intermittently going on since then," a police official said.

According to Indian officials, the border guards posted in the sector effectively retaliated to the firing and the exchange of fire continued for several hours.

No casualty was reported on the Indian side in the fresh exchange of fire, officials said.

On Saturday night a woman was killed and five others wounded in Arnia sector.

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News Story: 2 militants killed near Kashmir LoC - Indian army

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- At least two militants were killed Saturday in a gunfight near the Line of Control (LoC) dividing Kashmir, officials said.

The gunfight, according to Indian army officials, broke out in Machil sector of frontier Kupwara district, about 165 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

According to Indian military spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia, the militants were trying to infiltrate deep inside Indian-controlled Kashmir.

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News Report: India, Pakistan Agree to Exercise Restraint in Kashmir After Frequent Skirmishes

Top level commanders of both the armies participated in a flag meeting held in Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir and agreed to keep channels of communication open between local commanders and exercise restraint at the Line of Control (de-facto border).

New Delhi (Sputnik) — Indian and Pakistani armed forces have agreed to institute mechanisms for peace and tranquility at the border amid increased reports of ceasefire violations by both sides.

“Indian and Pakistan armies held a battalion commander-level flag meeting at Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch Sector in the backdrop of numerous ceasefire violations and casualties to the civilian population in the past several months,” a statement from the Indian Army said.

Both the sides also discussed the resumption of trade and transit through Chakan-Da-Bagh route. Earlier, India had stopped trade through Chakan-Da-Bagh in July after heavy shelling by the Pakistani army.

News Report: Pakistan Slams US for Declaring Anti-India Kashmir Group as 'Terrorist'

Ayaz Gul

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan has criticized the United States for designating Hizbul Mujahideen, the largest militant group fighting Indian rule in the disputed Kashmir region, as a “foreign terrorist” organization.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Nafees Zakaria told reporters Thursday that Islamabad is “disappointed” at the U.S. decision. He said that Kashmir is an internationally recognized territorial dispute between Pakistan and India, and there have been U.N. Security Council resolutions pending implementation for decades.

“The 70-year-old indigenous struggle of Kashmiris in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir remains legitimate. The designation of individuals or groups supporting the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination as terrorist is completely unjustified,” Zakaria said.

The U.S. State Department added Hizbul Mujahideen to its list of global “terrorist” organizations on Wednesday, saying the action is a bid to deny the group “the resources it needs to carry out terrorist attacks.” It said the group has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including a bombing in Kashmir more than two years ago that injured 17 people.

News Report: What Does Sharif's Ouster in Islamabad Mean for South Asia?

Nawaz Sharif (Image: Wiki Commons)

Nazrana Ghaffar

WASHINGTON — The removal of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has opened the door for opportunity and potential peril — in the country's foreign policy, specifically in dealing with Afghanistan, India and the United States.

Some experts believe that Sharif, who was disqualified and removed from office on corruption charges in a case dubbed the Panama leaks, challenged the powerful military establishment at a time when the U.S. is pondering a new strategy for the volatile region.

"While the Panama leaks were fortuitous, Mr. Sharif's crime seems to be the same this time around: crossing the military by pursuing conciliatory policies toward India as well as Afghanistan and by reportedly demanding that Inter-Services Intelligence end its use of militant groups as tools of foreign policy," University of Oklahoma professor Aqil Shah wrote in The New York Times.

Shah told VOA that Sharif issued statements at the start of his tenure that Pakistan would not interfere in Afghanistan`s internal issues, but he backed off under constant pressure from the military establishment.

News Story: Indian army says five militants killed on Kashmir LoC

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Indian army claimed on Monday it had foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) dividing Kashmir by killing five militants.

The infiltration bid as per Indian army officials was foiled in Machil sector of frontier Kupwara district, about 165 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

According to Indian army spokesman Col. Rajesh Kalia, the group was trying to infiltrate deep inside Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Report: India Wary of More Chinese Presence in Kashmir Through Dam Projects

India has strong reservations against the string of projects undertaken by China in the Kashmir region under the Belt and Road Initiative. Addition of a project as big as the Indus Cascade to that list is likely to lead to more protests from India and to raise tension in the region.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — India has termed the collaboration between Pakistan and China in the construction of six dams over the Indus River in Kashmir region as "illegal collaborative activity." China is investing around $50 billion for the construction of these dams that form part of the North Indus Cascade that would generate up to 40000 MW of hydro electricity for Pakistan's consumption.

"India has a clear and consistent position that these territories are illegally occupied by Pakistan and that any collaborative activity there is in violation of India's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said in Parliament.

News Report: New Bloodshed in Troubled India-Controlled Kashmir

Two Indian soldiers and two rebels were killed in separate armed clashes Thursday in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.

The two soldiers were killed during a shootout in the southern district of Shopian, where they were taking part in a raid to capture suspected rebels. Another soldier was critically wounded in the incident.

The rebels were killed in the southern town of Kulgam when they walked into an ambush laid by government forces.

The bloodshed comes just days after the death of Abu Dujana, the commander of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba militant group, was killed by Indian security forces.

Parts of Kashmir have been administered by nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947, but both nations claim the region to themselves in full.

Rebel groups in the Indian-administered region have waged a nearly three-decade insurgency seeking either independence or a merger with Pakistan that has killed tens of thousands of people.

This story first appeared on Voice of America & is reposted here with permission.

News Story: 3 militants killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir gunfight

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, July 27 (Xinhua) -- At least three militants were killed Thursday in a gunfight near the Line of Control (LoC) dividing Kashmir, officials said.

The gunfight broke out in Gurez sector in Bandipora district, about 165 km north of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

According to Indian military spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia, the militants were trying to infiltrate deep inside Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Report: Escalation of India-Pakistan Conflict 'Threatens World With Nuclear Catastrophe'

Tensions are growing between India and Pakistan over the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir. So far this month, 11 people have been killed and another 18 injured amid violations of the ceasefire along the line of control. RIA Novosti contributor Ilya Plekhanov warns that the conflict risks turning into a threat to global stability.

So far in the month of July, nearly a dozen people have been killed, with 4,000 more forced to leave their homes amid rising tensions on the line of control, the military delineation between the Indian and Pakistani-controlled portions of Jammu and Kashmir. Delhi and Islamabad have traded accusations over the crossfire. 

The Indian Defense Ministry accused Pakistani forces of targeting civilians in artillery attacks. Meanwhile, following ceasefire violations on July 21, Pakistan blamed India for violating ceasefire norms, and summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner to discuss the issue.

News Story: Pakistan summons Indian envoy over ceasefire violation

ISLAMABAD, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Monday summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh and condemned the "unprovoked ceasefire violations" by the Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir.

The Foreign Ministry said the Indian troops fired in Leepa Sector on July 21, resulting in the killing of a 12-year-old boy, Umair, in Gheekot village, and injuries up to three others.

"This is the third ceasefire violation by the Indian forces in the past four days," a foreign ministry statement said.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Pakistan's major offensive launched to quash Daesh cross-border movement

ISLAMABAD, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani ground forces, backed by air power, are currently conducting a major operation in a rugged mountainous region to dismantle the hideouts of armed groups, especially Daesh or the so-called Islamic State, and to block their cross-border movement.

The operation in the Khyber tribal region is focused on Rajgal Valley, located at a height of nearly 4,200 meters above sea level, and the eight passes of which the militants now use to enter Pakistan for their activities.

They had previously been exploiting the absence on the ground of Pakistani forces in Rajgal, which borders Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province. The United States dropping of the so-called "Mother of All Bombs" in Nangarhar in April to eliminate a hideout of the Islamic State's fighters was a strong indication of the Daesh group's prevalence in the region.

Although the Pakistan military has cleared most areas held by the Taliban and other militant groups in seven tribal regions, the militants still use inaccessible routes in rugged mountains for cross-border movements to carry out attacks.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Report: Pakistan, India Trade Claims Over Cease-fire Violations

Ayaz Gul

Pakistan says India’s border forces opened fire Wednesday in the divided Kashmir region in violation of a mutual cease-fire truce, killing a soldier and two civilians.

The “unprovoked” Indian military action has “critically injured” two soldiers and wounded five civilians, Pakistan army spokesman Major-General Asif Ghafoor said.

Ghafoor said Pakistani troops retaliated and destroyed Indian posts that had been firing at them and a nearby civilian population, killing five Indian soldiers.

There was no immediate reaction from India regarding the Pakistani claims.

Indian media quoted army officials as saying “unprovoked” fire by Pakistani troops Wednesday killed a junior military officer and wounded a civilian in the Poonch-Rajouri sector of the de facto Kashmir boundary.

News Story: Pakistan summons Indian envoy over killing of 2 civilians

ISLAMABAD, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan summoned Indian deputy high commissioner and lodged formal protest on Wednesday over the recent ceasefire violations, resulting in the killing of two civilians and injuring six others.

The director general South Asian at the Foreign Ministry, who summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner, condemned the "unprovoked ceasefire violations" by the Indian occupation forces in Baroh and Tandar Sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir region on Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Two people, including one woman in Barho Sector and a man in Tandar Sector, were killed, the statement said.

"The deliberate targeting of civilians is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws," the Pakistani official told the Indian envoy.

Read the full story at Xinhua

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Story Quote: "However, both sides routinely accuse each other of ceasefire violations."

PacificSentinel: Yes they do, so why don't you also post stories about the Pakistan attacks against India, it's called being biased, I know it a new concept to you Xinhua, but you might want to try being fair and post the other sides view of events some time.

News Report: India, Pakistan Trade Accusations as Cross Border Firing Claims Seven Lives

Pakistan has called upon the Indian Army for peace amid heavy cross firing at the border since a week. India has retorted by claiming that firing was only retaliatory. Both countries have accused each other of violating ceasefire.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — The Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of Pakistan made an unscheduled call to his Indian counterpart Monday morning and accused India of targeting the Pakistani army and killing four of its personnel. The Indian DGMO is learnt to have said that it was Pakistan which initiated the firing in violation of the ceasefire and that the Indian forces only responded.

“During the talks, the Pakistani DGMO raised the issue of targeting of Pakistan Army troops which resulted in the death of four Pakistani soldiers and one civilian in Athmuqam Sector of Pakistan Administered Kashmir opposite Indian Keren Sector, Kupwara District,” Indian Army said in a statement.

News Report: India Asserts Readiness to Hold Talks With Pakistan on Kashmir Issue

India has said it is open to holding talks with Pakistan in resolving the Kashmir issue under a bilateral framework, a day after Beijing offered to play a "constructive" role between the two countries.

Without naming Pakistan, India's Ministry of External Affairs said the central issue in the ongoing crisis is cross-border terrorism emanating from a particular country.

"Our [position] is absolutely clear. You are aware that the heart of the matter is cross-border terrorism emanating from a particular country that threatens peace and stability in the country, region, and the world. We are ready to have a dialogue with Pakistan on Kashmir under a bilateral framework," Gopal Baglay, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, said at his weekly media briefing in New Delhi.

China had on Wednesday expressed concern over the mounting tension between India and Pakistan.