Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Nuclear Energy News .




THE STANS
Pakistani and Indian troops exchange fire in Kashmir
by Staff Writers
Islamabad (AFP) Jan 6, 2013


Pakistani and Indian troops exchanged fire Sunday along their disputed border in divided Kashmir, with each side blaming the other for the flare-up and Pakistan saying one of its soldiers was killed.

Pakistan said Indian troops crossed the de facto border known as the Line of Control and stormed a military post, an accusation denied by the other side.

A Pakistani military statement said the Indian troops came across the frontier in the Haji Pir sector, 80 kilometres (49 miles) north of Islamabad, and "physically raided" a checkpost named Sawan Patra.

"Pakistan Army troops effectively responded to the attack successfully. One Pakistani soldier embraced martyrdom while another was critically injured," it said in a statement.

The Indian troops retreated, leaving behind a gun and a dagger, it said.

An Indian army spokesman in Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian-administered part of Kashmir, denied its troops crossed the border.

Colonel Brijesh Pandey accused the Pakistani military of firing mortar bombs into a village in the Uri district in Indian Kashmir, which faces Haji Pir in the Pakistani sector of the territory.

"At 3:15 am today (2145 GMT Saturday) Pakistani troops resorted to heavy mortar firing, targeting a village in Uri sector," Pandey told AFP, adding that the homes of some villagers were damaged.

"We retaliated with small arms and the exchange continued for over an hour," the spokesman said.

He said no Indian troops were hurt but had no information about any Pakistani casualties.

Muslim-majority Kashmir is a Himalayan region which India and Pakistan both claim in full but rule in part. It was the cause of two of their three wars since independence from Britain in 1947.

The nuclear-armed neighbours have observed a ceasefire in Kashmir since November 2003, but there have been occasional clashes and accusations of truce violations from both sides.

Last month officials in Pakistani-administered Kashmir said cross-border fire from Indian troops killed a man and wounded three other civilians in two villages.

According to an official Indian report cited by the Press Trust of India, there were 71 firing incidents along the Line of Control in 2012 in which four Indian soldiers, two Indian civilians and one alleged Pakistani infiltrator were killed.

Fifteen others were injured, according to the report from the Kashmir state home ministry.

The latest clash occurred as the two countries wrapped up their first bilateral cricket series for five years.

Cricket has been used in the past to mend ties, but analysts have said the prospect of a diplomatic dividend this time appeared slim.

India suspended its peace process with Pakistan after deadly attacks by Pakistan-based militants in 2008 in Mumbai. Talks only resumed in February last year.

Both sides remain deadlocked over Kashmir but have made some progress on less contentious subjects such as trade.

.


Related Links
News From Across The Stans






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








THE STANS
US draws plans for up to 9,000 troops in Afghanistan
Washington (AFP) Jan 05, 2013
The US Defense Department has prepared plans for a smaller presence in Afghanistan after the White House insisted on examining the option of leaving fewer troops in the country after 2014 than was initially proposed, The Wall Street Journal reported late Friday. The newspaper said the plans now prepared by the Pentagon call for leaving roughly 3,000, 6,000 or 9,000 US troops in the country. ... read more


THE STANS
Lithuanians recycle Christmas trees into biofuel

Germany Helps Ukraine Develop Biofuel Production

Boosting Galactan Sugars Could Boost Biofuel Production

Discovery May Pave Way to Genetically Enhanced Biofuel Crops

THE STANS
Latest PV Test Technology Helps To Boost School's Green Commitment

Delaware made solar panels used for large Ultrachem PV installation

MidAmerican Solar Acquires World's Largest Solar Development from SunPower

Suntech Solar Modules Shine in Desert Simulation Test

THE STANS
British group pans wind farm compensation

GE and International Consortium Buys 32 Wind Farms in France

Tax credit extension a reprieve for wind

DTE Energy announces commercial operation of Thumb Wind Park

THE STANS
Energy independence for India?

'Green' issues weigh increasingly on sport

N. African states eye major energy drive

Mortenson Renewable Energy Groups Wraps Up Record-Breaking Year

THE STANS
Iran oil exports down 40% in 9 months: minister

Military on sidelines of Venezuela crisis

OPEC: Iran-Iraq alliance weakens Saudis

Turkey to halt oil import data breakdown: official

THE STANS
Billions and Billions of Planets

ALMA Shows How Young Star and Planets Grow Simultaneously

ALMA Sheds Light on Planet-Forming Gas Streams

A stray planet

THE STANS
General Dynamics Awarded $4.6 Billion for Submarine Programs

First Borey Class Nuclear Sub to Join Russian Navy on Sunday

India Receives Second Russia-Built Stealth Missile Frigate

Iran navy launches 6-day massive exercises

THE STANS
Ancient Water-rich Meteorite Linked to Martian Crust

Stanford researchers develop acrobatic space rovers to explore moons and asteroids

Researchers Identify Water Rich Meteorite Linked To Mars Crust

Mars meteorite has significant water




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement