Thirteen civilians were killed and 59 injured — 44 of them in Poonch district — due to ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC), the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Thursday.
The violence follows ‘Operation Sindoor’, a retaliatory strike conducted by Indian armed forces on May 7, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation was launched in response to the Pahalgam attack, which had resulted in Indian casualties.
Key Developments:
- Pakistan initiated unprovoked firing on the night of April 25–26 and intensified shelling post-Operation Sindoor.
- Civilian homes were heavily damaged, and residents in border areas like Rajouri were forced to evacuate.
- Villagers returning have reported structural damage to homes and livestock displacement.
- The Indian Army responded to Pakistani aggression in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, and Akhnoor sectors during the nights of May 7 and 8.
- The MEA stated that India is closely monitoring the situation and will respond appropriately to further provocations.
Operation Sindoor specifically aimed to eliminate leadership and infrastructure of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—both of which are designated as terrorist organizations by India, the United States, and the United Nations Security Council.