Heavy firing on LoC in Poonch, Pak Army fires 7000 rounds

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 10: Just five days after the killing of five Indian Army soldiers at Chakan-Da-Bagh sub sector in Poonch district, Pakistan Army last night again opened heavy firing at Digwar, Mankot and Sabjian sub sectors in Poonch district prompting troops to retaliate effectively.
The heavy firing from Pakistan side lasted more than six hours.
However, there were no casualties on the Indian side. Casualties, if any, on Pakistan side were not known.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Pakistan Army started firing at Sabjian at 9 pm and Digwar and Mankot at 10 pm.  Pakistan Army fired at least 7000 rounds of Pika and medium mortars on forward Indian posts.
The firing continued in Digwar sector till 4.30 pm, Mankot till 2.30 pm and Sabjian till 12.30 pm.
Army spokesman SN Acharya said the Indian side retaliated effectively.
He said the Indian side fired 18 rounds of 81mm mortars, 111 automatic grenade launchers, 111 rocket launchers, 11 Russian made MMG type KPWT rounds, 2600 rounds of Medium Machine Gun and 1935 rounds of Insas etc.
“The effective retaliation by the Indian Army can be assessed from the rounds fired by the troops,” sources said, adding that Pakistani troops would be given effective response in case of any misadventure.
The firing completely stopped at 4.30 pm.
Describing Pakistan firing as “unprovoked,” sources said no attempt of infiltration by the militants was observed during the firing from across the LoC, which indicated that Pakistani troops had been aggravating situation either to push the militants or cause casualties among the Army.
However, they said, the troops were maintaining a very high alert on the LoC in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch especially after the killings of five Indian soldiers on August 5 at Sarala battalion area of Poonch.
Meanwhile, the people living in forward areas of Digwar, Mankot, Sabjian and other areas of Poonch district were worried over unprovoked firing by the Pakistan Army frequently on the LoC in violation of ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan. They were of the view that continued firing by Pakistan Army could spell trouble for the people living in forward areas as they could again become target of unprovoked firing from across the LoC.
The people were highly critical of Pakistan Army for resorting to firing without any reason and demanded that Indian troops should give an effective reply to silence the enemy guns.
The people feared that they might have to shift to safer areas again if the Pakistani bullets started reaching the forward villages.

Follow our WhatsApp channel