India and Pakistan exchange fire at Kashmir border as tensions soar

Troops from Pakistan and India have exchanged fire in the disputed valley of Kashmir, officials in Islamabad said on Friday, as tensions between the rival nuclear powers escalate following a deadly terrorism attack in the region.

Indian troops fired at a Pakistani border post in the region of Leepa overnight, two intelligence officials told dpa.

“Our troops returned fire with light arms. The firing has stopped now,” one official said, adding no casualties have been recorded on either side.

The exchange comes as the South Asian nations reeled from a deadly attack by terrorists in the Indian-administered part of Kashmir earlier this week, resulting in the death of 26 tourists and bringing the two countries to the brink of another conflict.

India and Pakistan have since closed their only operating border crossing, blocked trade and ordered the expulsion of each other’s citizens in tit-for-tat measures following the attack.

India has also suspended a key water-sharing agreement with Pakistan, which is vital for the neighbouring country’s water supply.

New Delhi blames the gun attack on a militant group allegedly operating from Pakistan. Islamabad denies the charges.

According to Indian media, approximately 1,500 people have been arrested in the Himalayan region in connection with the attack for questioning about possible links to the perpetrators.

The South Asian nations have fought three wars since their independence in 1947 and pulled from the brink of a fourth one over contested Kashmir, a picturesque Himalayan valley divided in parts between the two countries.

Deadly skirmishes commonly took place at the Line of Control (LoC), a de facto frontier that divides Kashmir, before a renewed ceasefire agreement in 2021.