In a blatant act of aggression, the Indian Army initiated unprovoked shelling along the Line of Control (LoC), resulting in the martyrdom of five Pakistani civilians, with over ten others sustaining injuries.
The violence persisted throughout the night across various sectors of the Poonch division, including Rawalakot, Hajira, Neelum Valley, and Kotli, prompting a robust retaliation from the Pakistan Army.
According to local officials, the Indian artillery’s bombardment was met with a swift and forceful response from the Pakistan Army, which effectively silenced Indian gunfire across multiple posts along the LoC.
In the Khoirta sector of Kotli, four individuals, including a young girl, were martyred as a consequence of Indian shelling. The injured, exceeding ten in number, were promptly transferred to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Kotli for urgent medical care. The shelling targeted civilian areas, exacerbating the growing toll of casualties in this ongoing conflict.
Tragic news also emerged from Rawalakot, where 22-year-old Osama Ishrat, a resident of Kotdi Najam Khan, tragically lost his life due to Indian shelling. Osama, who had been married just ten days prior, was killed, while his two sisters sustained injuries. Authorities reported that at least three other individuals were wounded in the unprovoked firing in the nearby town of Hajira. The injured were swiftly transported to the hospital.
Meanwhile, in Neelum Valley, violations of the LoC by Indian forces entered their third consecutive day, with new reports of civilian casualties surfacing. The Indian Army has been targeting civilian populations in sectors including Shahkot, Jura, Athmaqam, Dodanial, Sharda, Kiel, and Helmat. Pakistani forces responded with fierce retaliation, engaging Indian positions and effectively silencing the artillery barrage.
A youth from the Upper Kiel area sustained severe injuries as a direct result of Indian shelling, while mortar shells fired by Indian forces inflicted significant damage on the Nadra office building in Kiel. Local officials confirmed that emergency measures were being implemented, with an emergency declared at the DHQ Hospital in Athmaqam to accommodate the influx of casualties.
In another disturbing development, reports from the administration indicated that the Indian Army had been deploying toy bombs along the LoC, a tactic that has instilled alarm among local residents. Authorities have urged the public to exercise extreme caution and avoid approaching any unidentified objects, emphasizing the inherent danger posed by these devices.
The persistent violations have led to heightened tensions, with the Pakistan Army implementing further defensive measures, including the downing of an Indian quadcopter. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which had been operating in the Baghsar area of Samahani, Azad Kashmir, was successfully shot down by Pakistani forces at 3:15 AM local time.
