At least seven Indian posts were targeted by the Pakistan Army early on Saturday morning violating ceasefire agreement for the fifth time during July along the line of Control in Kerni sector of Haveli tehsil in Poonch district.
The Pakistan Army, according to official sources on ground zero, used mortars, Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG), light and medium machine guns (lMG, MMG) to target the Indian posts in the area between 7.30 and 9.30 am. Initially, the Indian troops exercised some degree of restraint but as fire from across the line of Control intensified, the Indian troops gave them calibrated response.
According to officiating Defence PRO in Jammu, SN Acharya, “The unprovoked firing from the Pakistani side in Doda battalion area of Poonch started around 7.30 am and continued till late afternoon.” He confirmed no one was injured in the heavy exchange of fire on the Indian side of the loC. Earlier, ceasefire violations took place in Poonch sector on July 21, 23 and 24 in Dhegwar, Saujiyan sectors.
Top army officials are monitoring the situation in the wake of heavy firing along the border and troops have been asked in other forward areas to intensify round-the-clock vigilance. The firing triggered panic among the people in the area, especially in Shahpur Kerni forward belt in Poonch.