Indian, Pakistani forces exchange gunfire along Kashmir border

The conflict between India and Pakistan continues to escalate as their troops exchanged gunfire along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.

Indian media outlets reported that small arms fire was initiated by the Pakistani side in certain areas, prompting what Indian forces described as an “effective response”, per Caliber.Az.

The exchange of fire took place on the evening of Thursday, April 24, just days after armed militants attacked a group of tourists in the town of Pahalgam, located in the mountainous Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, a disputed area between India and Pakistan. The attack claimed the lives of 26 people and left dozens injured. The Resistance Front, a militant group affiliated with the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility.

The attack has sparked a renewed crisis between the neighbouring nations. Indian authorities have taken a series of stringent measures against Pakistan, including the expulsion of diplomats and the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. Notably, New Delhi had never previously suspended the agreement, even during open conflict with Islamabad. The 1960 treaty governs the allocation of waters from the six rivers of the Indus basin, which originate in Kashmir. Under the agreement, the rivers Jhelum, Chenab, and Indus were allotted to Pakistan, while India retained the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas.

Pakistan has retaliated. The authorities said they would take India's attempt to stop the flow of water from the Indus River as an act of war. The country's agriculture and energy sectors depend heavily on the stability of the water supply.