Pakistani troops targeted forward posts and villages along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Rajouri district, drawing retaliation from Indian troops, officials said on Sunday. However, there was no report of any casualty in the latest ceasefire violation which came a day after a personnel of the Indian Army was killed and three others including two women were injured in separate ceasefire violations by Pakistan in Rajouri and Poonch districts. At about 11.15 am on Sunday, Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing with small arms and shelling mortars along the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri. The Indian Army retaliated befittingly, a defence spokesman said. In another ceasefire violation, the officials said Pakistani Rangers targeted Satpal, Manyari, Karol Krishna and Gurnam border outpost areas at around 9 pm on Saturday, drawing strong and effective retaliation from the Border Security Force (BSF). They said the cross-border firing between the two sides continued till 3:45 am on Sunday but there was no report of any casualty or damage on the Indian side. Jammu and Kashmir has recorded over 4000 ceasefire violations by Pakistan so far this year, which is the highest in the past decade, compared to a total of 3289 violations in 2019, officials said. Meanwhile, a Pakistani drone was sighted hovering in the skies near the Line of Control (LoC) in Mendhar sector of Poonch district following which the Army has launched a search operation, officials said. The search operation was launched in Basoni, Dharana and adjoining areas shortly after the detection of the drone on Saturday evening, the officials said. They said Pakistan has increased the use of drones to airdrop weapons and narcotic substances along the LoC and the IB over the past six months, prompting a high alert along the borders.

Courtesy: State Times: 23rd November 2020