Tensions escalate as India and Pakistan trade fire for third night in Kashmir

Troops from India and Pakistan exchanged fire along the Line of Control (LoC) for a third consecutive night, officials confirmed on April 27, as relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours hit their lowest point in years.

The renewed hostilities come after India accused Pakistan of supporting "cross-border terrorism" following the deadliest attack on civilians in Kashmir in a quarter-century, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

On April 22, gunmen killed 26 men at a popular tourist destination in Pahalgam, sparking widespread outrage and a sweeping manhunt.

Islamabad has firmly denied any involvement, labeling attempts to link Pakistan to the attack as "frivolous" and warning that it would respond to any Indian aggression.

The Indian military said on Sunday that there had been “unprovoked” small arms fire initiated by Pakistani forces along the LoC.
"Our own troops responded effectively with appropriate small arms fire," the statement said.

Pakistan has yet to issue a statement on the latest exchanges.

Indian authorities have named three suspects — two Pakistanis and one Indian national — alleged to be members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based militant group designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations. Police have issued wanted posters for the trio.

Meanwhile, India’s federal home ministry has transferred the attack investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which specializes in counter-terrorism cases.
In a statement, the NIA said it was questioning eyewitnesses, examining forensic evidence, and tracking potential entry and exit routes to reconstruct the timeline of the attack.
"The eyewitnesses are being questioned in minute detail to piece together the sequence of events that led to one of the worst terror attacks in Kashmir," it added.

The violence has reignited tensions over Kashmir, a region divided between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947, but claimed in full by both. An insurgency has simmered in Indian-administered Kashmir since 1989, with militant groups demanding either independence or unification with Pakistan.

By Khagan Isayev