Thirteen civilians were killed and 59 others injured in heavy ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch sector, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Thursday. Of the injured, 44 are from Poonch, according to the MEA’s external publicity division.
The Pakistani Army resorted to unprovoked and intense shelling across several LoC sectors, including Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, and Akhnoor, using small arms and artillery fire. Indian forces responded proportionately, military officials said, underscoring that the aggression is seen as a retaliatory escalation following India’s precision airstrikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor.
The ceasefire violations occurred during the intervening night of May 7 and 8, as tensions soared between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. The Indian Army is maintaining high alert along the LoC.
In response to the deteriorating security situation, authorities have ordered the closure of all educational institutions in five border districts of the Jammu region for the second consecutive day, prioritizing civilian safety amid the escalating crisis.
