SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Troops of India and Pakistan Monday exchanged heavy fire and targeted each other's positions on Line of Control (LoC), dividing Kashmir, officials said.
The two sides exchanged fire in Shahpur sector of frontier Poonch district, about 185 km southwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
"In yet another incident of cease-fire violation along LoC, Pakistan forces resorted to heavy shelling and firing on forward Indian posts in Poonch district this morning," a senior police official posted in the district said.
The firing and shelling in Shahpur sector started around 11:00 a.m. local time and was going on until last reports came in, the official said.
Police said two civilians were wounded due to the firing from Pakistan side.
Indian defense officials said their troops guarding the LoC retaliated to the shelling.
Pakistan's official broadcaster Monday said Indian forces resorted to "unprovoked" firing in Neza Pir sector.
"The firing started at 11:30 am and is still continuing," the broadcaster quoting Pakistan military's Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) as saying.
"A befitting response from Pakistan army silenced the Indian guns," it said.
On Sunday night a similar exchange took place in Pallanwala area of Akhnoor sector along the LoC in Jammu district.
Authorities in wake of the tension along frontier areas have transferred residents to safer locations.
Both New Delhi and Islamabad accuse each other of resorting to unprovoked firings and violating cease-fire agreements. And both sides maintain that their troops gave befitting reply.
The troops of India and Pakistan intermittently exchange fire on the 720 km-long LoC and 198 km International Border (IB) in Kashmir, despite an agreement in 2003 to observe a cease-fire.
Though some violations have been reported on both sides, the cease-fire however remains in effect.
On Sunday night militants attacked an Indian army camp in Baramulla town, about 53 km southwest of Srinagar city. The attack left a border guard dead and another wounded. reports said militants escaped from the spot after carrying out the attack.
The attack came two weeks after a deadly assault on army base in neighboring town of Uri left around 19 troopers dead and over 20 others wounded. The four attackers were also killed.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated because of the ongoing civilian protests in Indian-controlled Kashmir that saw around 90 civilians dead and over 12,000 others injured.
However the situation worsened following Uri attack and subsequent claims of Indian military that it carried out "surgical strikes" inside Pakistan-controlled Kashmir inflicting significant casualties on infiltrators and their supporters.
India's Director General Military Operations Lt Gen Ranbir Singh has not given the details about casualties of infiltrators or Pakistan army in the attacks but said their troopers returned back safely.
Pakistan, however, rejected Indian claims about "surgical strikes" inside their territory. According to ISPR two Pakistani troopers were killed due to cross LoC firing.
New Delhi blames Islamabad for fanning Kashmir protests and accuses it of sending armed militants into Indian-controlled Kashmir, an accusation Islamabad strongly rejects. Islamabad says it only provides moral and political support to Kashmiris.
LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts.
Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
