SRINAGAR: Amid calm along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday after four days of intense cross-border firing and shelling, BSF claimed of destroying ammunition and fuel dump of Pakistani troops on other side of the border in retaliatory firing to the ceasefire violations and also released the videos to prove their point.
“BSF has given suitable and pin pointed retaliation to unprovoked firing and mortar shelling by Pakistani troops across IB in Jammu,” a BSF spokesman said.
He said at several locations, the enemy's firing positions, ammunition and fuel dump have been destroyed by precision firing of bordermen.
The BSF today also released two videos showing purported destruction of Pakistani troops ammunition and fuel dump across the IB in Jammu.
The BSF officials have claimed of inflicting heavy casualties on the Pakistani troops in the cross-border firing and shelling.
“Many Pakistani soldiers have been killed and many of their positions destroyed in retaliatory firing of BSF men,” they have said.
Since Thursday (January 18) Pakistani troops have breached the border ceasefire along the LoC and IB in Jammu province of the State regularly.
In four days of intense cross-border firing and shelling, 12 people have been killed and over 50 others damaged.
Among the dead include seven civilians, three army men and two BSF personnel.
Meanwhile, the LoC and IB remained calm in the day today.
Defence spokesman Colonel N N Josh said no ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops was reported from any sector along the LoC today.
He said there was calm along the LoC today.
A BSF official said there was no fresh firing or shelling by Pakistani troops along the IB in the State from 5.45 am today.
He said there was also calm along the IB in the day yesterday but Pakistani troops resorted to indiscriminate firing and mortar shelling in Pargwal, R S Pura, Arnia and Ramgarh sectors in the evening in which a civilian was killed.
The BSF official said the BSF men are on high alert to meet any challenge along the IB.
In view of surge in cross-border firing and shelling, the administration in border district of Poonch is constructing 40 community bunkers for the border residents living close to the LoC.
The community bunkers are being constructed in in Sawizian, Balakote, Mendhar,khari-Kharmara and Jhulas Salotri areas, which fall close to the LoC.
Deputy Commissioner Poonch, Tariq Ahamad Zargar, said the community bunkers have capacity to accommodate 30 to 35 persons.
He said necessary arrangements including separate accommodation for women, water and light facilities would be made available in these bunkers.
Zargar said work on 628 community bunkers and 1320 individual house hold bunkers would be started soon for the safety of LoC residents.