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| Pakistan and India exchange gunfire across Kashmir border | Pakistan and India exchange gunfire across Kashmir border |
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| Pakistan and India exchanged gunfire across the disputed border of Kashmir on Sunday, with Islamabad accusing Indian troops of a cross-border raid that killed one of its soldiers and New Delhi claiming that Pakistani shelling had destroyed a civilian home on its side. | Pakistan and India exchanged gunfire across the disputed border of Kashmir on Sunday, with Islamabad accusing Indian troops of a cross-border raid that killed one of its soldiers and New Delhi claiming that Pakistani shelling had destroyed a civilian home on its side. |
| The confrontation is unusual in Kashmir, where a ceasefire has held for a decade. The Pakistani military said troops exchanged gunfire after Indian forces crossed the "line of control" dividing the two sides in the Haji Pir sector and raided the Sawan Patra checkpoint. | The confrontation is unusual in Kashmir, where a ceasefire has held for a decade. The Pakistani military said troops exchanged gunfire after Indian forces crossed the "line of control" dividing the two sides in the Haji Pir sector and raided the Sawan Patra checkpoint. |
| Colonel Brijesh Pandey, a spokesman for the Indian army in Kashmir, denied that Indian troops had crossed the border. He said Pakistani troops "initiated unprovoked firing" and fired mortars and automatic weapons at Indian posts early on Sunday morning. | Colonel Brijesh Pandey, a spokesman for the Indian army in Kashmir, denied that Indian troops had crossed the border. He said Pakistani troops "initiated unprovoked firing" and fired mortars and automatic weapons at Indian posts early on Sunday morning. |
| "We retaliated only using small arms. We believe it was clearly an attempt on their part to facilitate infiltration of militants," Pandey said. | "We retaliated only using small arms. We believe it was clearly an attempt on their part to facilitate infiltration of militants," Pandey said. |
| India frequently accuses Pakistan of sending militants into the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir, often under cover of these types of skirmishes. | India frequently accuses Pakistan of sending militants into the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir, often under cover of these types of skirmishes. |
| The latest violence could upset a tentative rapprochement in place in recent months. Last month the two countries announced a new visa regime designed to make cross-border travel easier, and they have been taking steps to facilitate economic trade. | The latest violence could upset a tentative rapprochement in place in recent months. Last month the two countries announced a new visa regime designed to make cross-border travel easier, and they have been taking steps to facilitate economic trade. |
| Both claim the entire region as their own, and the countries have fought two full-scale wars over control of Kashmir. On Saturday leaders of a Pakistan-based militant coalition held a rally in the city of Muzaffarabad, near Kashmir, in which they pledged to continue the fight to gain control of the entire region. | Both claim the entire region as their own, and the countries have fought two full-scale wars over control of Kashmir. On Saturday leaders of a Pakistan-based militant coalition held a rally in the city of Muzaffarabad, near Kashmir, in which they pledged to continue the fight to gain control of the entire region. |
| A ceasefire in 2003 ended the most recent round of fighting. Each side occasionally accuses the other of violating it by lobbing mortars or shooting across the line of control. In November a number of Pakistani civilians were wounded due to Indian shelling, and in October the Indian army said Pakistani troops fired across the disputed frontier, killing three civilians. But accusations that one side's ground forces crossed the line are rarer. | A ceasefire in 2003 ended the most recent round of fighting. Each side occasionally accuses the other of violating it by lobbing mortars or shooting across the line of control. In November a number of Pakistani civilians were wounded due to Indian shelling, and in October the Indian army said Pakistani troops fired across the disputed frontier, killing three civilians. But accusations that one side's ground forces crossed the line are rarer. |
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