India accuses Pakistan over border firing

India's army has accused Pakistani troops of firing across the Line of Control that divides the disputed region of Kashmir. India said its troops had retaliated to the "unprovoked" firing in Poonch district. Pakistan has not commented. India says there have been over 150 ceasefire violations since 2006. The two countries struck a ceasefire in 2003.

Militants have been fighting Indian rule in Kashmir since 1989. India's army said the firing took place across the Krishnaghati sector of Poonch district early on Thursday. The Line of Control separates Indian- and Pakistani- administered Kashmir.

"The Pakistani side fired medium and small arms besides rockets and mortars," a spokesman said. He said the Indian troops retaliated to the firing. There were no casualties on the Indian side in the firing, the spokesman said. India has accused Pakistan of "unprovoked firing aimed mostly at facilitating infiltration of militants," a charge Pakistan has denied. Violence in Indian-controlled Kashmir has reduced markedly since the 2003 ceasefire. Despite the reduced violence, little political progress has been made on the future of the Kashmir region.

# posted by faburous @ 11:30 PM