Tensions soar as Indian fire hits bus in Kashmir, killing 10

Yesterday, the Northern Command of the Indian Army had said “retribution will be heavy for this cowardly act of mutilating a soldier’s body”.

According to reports, a bus on the Neelam Valley Road in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s Dudhnial sector was hit.

Both countries accuse each other of violating a 2003 Kashmir truce accord.

The federal cabinet during a meeting in Islamabad today strongly condemned the “unprovoked” Indian firing along the LoC and extended its condolences to the affected families, Radio Pakistan reported.

Last week, Pakistani officials said they had evacuated 8,000 villagers while others fled the violence themselves.

“At least nine people have been killed and seven others wounded”, the speaker of Pakistani Kashmir’s legislative assembly, Shah Ghulam Qadir, told a press conference in Muzaffarabad.

In the aftermath, India launched a “surgical strike” across the Line of Control against what it described as a terrorist launching pad.

Why is Kashmir so risky?

Pakistan and India have been trading fire recently in the Himalayan region, which is divided between the two nuclear-armed neighbours and claimed by both in its entirety. Since 1989, Kashmiris have been fighting Indian forces deployed in the region, seeking independence or a merger of the territory with Pakistan. Nitin Joshi, said India was responding to Pakistan’s violation of a cease-fire, adding that Pakistani troops have fired at several Indian army positions. Talking to reporters he said India should go to war with Pakistan and annihilate it completely.

Meanwhile, intense exchanges of artillery fire between the facing troops have caused panic in the areas falling in close proximity of the India-Pakistan borders in Jammu and Kashmir including Gurez in the district of Bandipore and at many place people have started feeling towards safer locations.

Pakistan said two soldiers were killed in the strikes.

Passenger bus comes under attack by Indian soldiers in the Kashmir region, Pakistani army says, killing nine on board.

That is thought to be the country’s biggest single loss of life in Kashmir since the truce. India has accused Pakistani soldiers of providing cover to terrorists as they attempt to infiltrate India.

Indian military sources said the bus had been hit by accident when it unexpectedly traversed a bend while troops stationed on the ridgeline above were bringing fire on the road to disrupt military traffic.

What’s behind Kashmir’s deadliest militant raid in years?

At least 85 people, almost all protesters, have died in months of violent unrest against Indian rule since a popular militant leader was killed in the summer.