A Pakistan army soldier stands guard at LoC

India and Pakistan have engaged in around 1,700 ceasefire violations from both the sides since January 2020, resulting in the deaths of several civilians and the injuring of many more. The number of firefight incidents has increased over the past three weeks

Indian troops targeted Pakistani posts with automatic and heavy weapons in the Kailer sector, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday. Two civilians and one army serviceman allegedly died in the cross-border firing.

The Pakistani Army responded effectively, resulting in heavy losses for Indian troops, ISPR said, adding that “during an exchange of intense fire, a 34-year-old soldier and resident of the Karak district, died". In the Rakchikri sector Indian Army troops deliberately targeted the civilian population, Pakistan alleged. 

Due to indiscriminate fire in the village of Kirni, a girl aged 16, and a woman, 52, died while a 10-year-old boy and a 55-year-old woman were injured.

On Wednesday, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa, during a visit to the Line of Control (LoC), said the Indian Army will always get a "befitting response" to ceasefire violations along the LoC.

General Bajwa was told about the latest "violations" by Indian forces "deliberately targeting innocent civilians along the LoC" and the army’s "response".

India and Pakistan have been engaged in relentless cross-border firefights since the beginning of this month, resulting in the deaths of at least half a dozen civilians from both sides. Dozens more have been injured due to the skirmishes.

The two south Asian rivals have engaged in artillery firing on a nearly daily basis. India has been accused of 805 ceasefire violations and Pakistan of 900 so far. 

The already tense relations between the two countries began to deteriorate even further due the February 2019 dogfight but hit a new low with the abrogation of Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, in August.