At least five civilians were killed in the exchange of heavy artillery fire and gunfire between Indian and Pakistani soldiers along the border of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, the Associated Press reported, BTA reported.
Tensions between India and Pakistan erupted after the killing of 26 tourists on April 22 this year. India struck several locations in Pakistan on Wednesday evening, raising fears that the standoff between the two nuclear powers could escalate into a more serious military conflict.
In Pakistan, unusually intense night-time shelling killed at least four civilians in areas near the Line of Control that divides Kashmir, said Adel Ahmad, a local police official, adding that 12 people were also injured in the strikes. People in border towns said the shelling continued until early this morning.
"We are used to hearing exchanges of fire between Pakistan and India along the Line of Control, but last night was different," said Mohammad Shakeel, who lives near the Chakoti sector of the border.
Military officials in India said Pakistani troops shelled their posts with artillery, mortars and small arms at several places along the border overnight. Military officials in Pakistan said Indian troops returned fire, leading to a fierce exchange of fire until dawn.
A woman was killed and two civilians were injured in the Uri sector, police said, bringing the civilian death toll in India since Wednesday to 17, AP noted.