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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World

India and Pakistan conflict latest: Six civilians killed in Kashmir fighting

Six civilians have died amid continued conflict between India and Pakistan in the disputed territory of Kashmir.

Fighting resumed on Saturday with two siblings and a mother in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed in the fighting.

The three died after a shell fired by Pakistani soldiers hit their home in Poonch region while their father was left fighting for his life in hospital, police said.

Another fatality came in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, where a boy was killed and three other people wounded.

Later on Saturday, a Pakistani military statement said two civilians were killed and two others wounded in the fresh fighting.

Conflict has continued over Kashmir between the two countries (EPA)

An official said Indian troops with heavy weapons "indiscriminately targeted border villagers".

Both incidents happened along the so-called Line of Control that divides the Himalayan territory of Kashmir between the countries.

People rally during an anti-India protest in Karachi, Pakistan

Each country blamed the other for "unprovoked" violation of the 2003-ceasefire accord at several sectors along the Kashmir frontier and said their soldiers reacted "befittingly".

Tensions have been running high since Indian aircraft crossed into Pakistan on Tuesday.

Indian soldiers stand guard before the release of Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan

They carried out what India called a pre-emptive strike against militants involved in the group blamed for a suicide bombing in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed 40 Indian troops on February 14.

Pakistan retaliated and shot down a MiG-21 fighter jet on Wednesday then detained its pilot, who has since been returned as a gesture of goodwill.

The fighting has led thousands of residents to flee to safer areas to escape shelling along the frontier.

The violence this week marked the most serious escalation of the conflict since 1999, a year that saw Pakistan's military sent a ground force into Indian-controlled Kashmir at Kargil, while Indian fighter jet also shot down a Pakistani naval aircraft killing all 16 on board.

Pakistan and India have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir since their independence from British rule in 1947.

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