Pakistani troops target forward posts along LoC on 12th consecutive night Indian Army retaliates

Jammu: Pakistani troops continued ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, targeting Indian forward posts in eight sectors during the night of May 5–6. The Indian Army responded with a strong and calibrated retaliation, Defence officials said on Tuesday. This marks the twelfth consecutive night of cross-border firing amid heightened tensions following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives. According to a Defence spokesperson, Pakistani forces initiated unprovoked small-arms fire in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Naushera, Sunderbani, and Akhnoor. “The Indian Army responded promptly and proportionately,” the spokesperson said. The exchange of fire has affected five of Jammu and Kashmir’s seven border districts. There have been no reports of firing along the International Border (IB) in Samba and Kathua districts so far. The latest round of hostilities has further strained the February 2021 ceasefire agreement, which reaffirmed the original 2003 understanding. With repeated violations across the 740-km LoC, the pact is now seen as largely ineffective. Firing initially erupted in the northern districts of Kupwara and Baramulla before spreading south to Rajouri, Poonch, and the Pargwal sector of Jammu. The affected districts include Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, and Jammu. The escalation follows India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty on April 24, just days after the Pahalgam attack. Since then, Pakistani troops have stepped up targeting of Indian positions, first in Kashmir Valley and then across the Jammu region. In a series of retaliatory measures, Pakistan has blocked its airspace for Indian carriers, closed the Wagah border crossing, suspended bilateral trade, and warned that any diversion of water under the Indus Waters Treaty would be treated as an act of war. India and Pakistan share a 3,323-km-long border divided into three segments: the 2,400-km International Border (IB) from Gujarat to Akhnoor in Jammu; the 740-km LoC from Jammu to Ladakh; and the 110-km Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) in Siachen, running from NJ9842 to Indira Col.