India and Pakistan trade fire on Kashmir border, killing four

The latest in a wave of violence leaves 21 dead in a week

epa06457236 Relatives mourn the death of Ghar Singh (not pictured) who was killed in alleged fire from the Pakistani side of the disputed Kashmir border in the village of Ranbir Singh Pura about 25 km from Jammu, the winter capital of Kashmir, India, 20 January 2018.  According to the news reports, three civilians, including a 15-year-old boy, and one soldier were killed while several others injured on the Indian side of the disputed India-Pakistan Kashmir border when Pakistani troops allegedly fired mortar shells at border posts and villages along the international border for the third consecutive day in three districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Ten persons have been killed so far in ceasefire violations over the last three days.  EPA/JAIPAL SINGH
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Three civilians and a soldier were killed on Saturday in cross-border firing between the Indian and Pakistani armies, officials from the two countries said.

The latest in a wave of violence this week left at least 21 dead, including soldiers, suspected militants and civilians on both sides of the heavily-militarised border that divides the disputed Himalayan region.

Indian Army spokesman colonel N.N. Joshi said one of their soldiers was killed Saturday by Pakistani fire in Poonch sector along the de facto border, the Line of Control (LoC).

Two civilians, including a 15-year-old boy, were killed in a separate cross border assault along a stretch of uncontested frontier between Kashmir and the Pakistani province of Punjab.

Across the border, Pakistan's foreign office in a statement said Saturday a 60-year-old civilian was killed and two others, including a six-year-old were injured in firing by Indian soldiers.

Four civilians had died in the firing during the previous two days, the statement added.

Both sides regularly trade fire along the border, parts of which are disputed, and civilian casualties are common.

But this week has been particularly bloody.

Pakistan said four of its soldiers were killed in Indian firing on Monday.

Earlier this week Indian soldiers also killed five suspected militants who they said were trying to infiltrate from Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

The latest deaths come a day after two Indian soldiers and two civilians were killed on Friday when mortars fired by Pakistani soldiers landed in populated areas along the border in R S Pura area.

India and Pakistan on Friday summoned each other's diplomats to register protests over the killings with both accusing the other of initiating the cross-border fire.

The bitter rivals fought two of their wars over control of Kashmir, which has been divided between the nuclear-armed neighbours since partition in 1947.

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