ISLAMABAD // Pakistan’s military accused Indian troops of firing on its soldiers in Kashmir on Monday, killing seven of them and prompting return fire, as officials warned that the tense standoff between the nuclear-armed rivals could escalate.
The two sides have traded fire repeatedly in recent weeks across the Line of Control, which divides the Himalayan region into Indian and Pakistani-controlled zones.
The nuclear rivals each claim the entire territory, and have fought two of their three wars over it.
“The international community should pay attention,” Pakistani defence minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif warned. “It can escalate. This could be catastrophic for the region.”
He said that Pakistani troops had also inflicted losses on the Indian army, but did not elaborate.
An Indian army officer said Pakistan had fired on Indian troops in a breach of the ceasefire, and that they “effectively retaliated”. The officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said there were no casualties on the Indian side.
The latest escalation was set off by a September attack on an Indian military base by Pakistani militants. India blamed the attack on Pakistan, which has denied involvement.
Tensions have run high since Indian troops killed a Kashmiri militant leader in July. The killing ignited some of the most violent protests in years, and dozens of people have been killed in India's resulting crackdown.
Pakistani foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz said there has been an increase in the duration and frequency of indiscriminate firing by India, which has in recent weeks killed 26 civilians and wounded over 100 in villages near the frontier.
“The Indian actions, which constituted a threat to the maintenance of peace and security, may lead to strategic miscalculation,” he said.
* Associated Press
MWTC
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Saturday: Super Special Spectator Stage – Yas Marina Circuit – start 3.30pm.
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Monday: Nissan Stage 2 (287.92km)
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The line up
Friday: Giggs, Sho Madjozi and Masego
Saturday: Nas, Lion Bbae, Roxanne Shante and DaniLeigh
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