A day after India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Pakistan retaliated with intense shelling across the Line of Control (LoC), killing seven civilians, including a woman and two children, and injuring 38 others in Jammu and Kashmir.
The shelling, which began early Wednesday morning, hit multiple civilian areas in the Poonch and Rajouri districts. Homes were damaged, and many villagers were caught off guard as mortars and artillery shells rained down, prompting authorities to evacuate residents from forward villages.
Indian Army officials confirmed the shelling was “unprovoked” and stated that the Army gave a “strong and effective” response to the ceasefire violations. Medical teams and emergency services were rushed to the affected areas, and rescue operations are ongoing.
This deadly escalation comes in the wake of India’s Operation Sindoor, a coordinated military strike on terror camps believed to be operated by groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. The operation was carried out in response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 Indian civilians and security personnel.
Local officials have condemned the Pakistani attack, calling it a “cowardly act of revenge against innocent civilians.” The Jammu and Kashmir administration has announced compensation for the victims’ families and is working to relocate those living close to the LoC to safer areas.
Tensions remain high along the border, with both sides on alert. International observers have once again urged India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could escalate the situation further.
