2 soldiers killed in ceasefire violation in Jammu and Kashmir

Two army soldiers were killed when Pakistan violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Suderbani area of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday.

“Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation on the LoC in Sunderbani Sector of District Rajouri on 27 November,” defence spokesperson, Lt Col Devender Anand, said. "Own troops responded immediately to the enemy fire. In the ensuing fire, two Jawans of the Indian Army Naik Prem Bahadur Khatri and Rifleman Sukhbir Singh got critically injured and later succumbed to their injuries.”

The incident comes a day after a junior commissioned officer (JCO) of Indian army was killed and a civilian injured along the LoC in neighboring Poonch district.

Pakistan has been targeting the forward areas and border hamlets along the LoC in J&K frequently. Six civilians and five security forces personnel were killed in multiple ceasefire violations by Pakistani army along the LoC in north Kashmir on November 13 while eight Pakistani soldiers were reportedly killed in the retaliatory action by Indian army.

On November 8, seven persons, including three army men, a BSF personnel and three militants were killed as security forces foiled a major infiltration bid near the LoC in Machhil sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

Prior to that three army soldiers were killed and four others were injured on October 1 as Pakistani troops violated ceasefire along the LoC in Kupwara and Poonch districts.

According to official figures, as many as 3386 incidents of ceasefire violations have taken place along the LoC and International Border (IB) in Jammu & Kashmir in the first eight months of 2020. Last year 3479 incidents of ceasefire violations were reported in J&K.

The Army maintains that Pakistani troops have been frequently violating ceasefire by resorting to heavy shelling and firing to help the militants to infiltrate. A number of infiltration attempts have been thwarted by the army along the LoC leading to the killing of several infiltrating militants in recent months.