India-Pakistan cross border shelling kills at least 3, including 1 Indian soldier

At least three more people, including an Indian soldier, were killed in fresh shelling across the India- Pakistan border on Sunday, 23 October. India's Border Security Force (BSF) accused Pakistan of violating the ceasefire twice on the day, following which their soldiers gave a "suitable reply".

A BSF spokesman told Reuters that one soldier was killed in the overnight firing and another injured, along with five civilians, including two women and a child. Pakistan's military also said that one of the two civilian casualties included a one-year-old child in the village of Janglora.

Fighting has been ongoing between the two neighbouring nations for the past few weeks after India said it launched "surgical strikes" against terrorists operating in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir region. The strike followed a militant attack on an Indian Army base in Uri in September that killed about 18 soldiers. India blamed Pakistan for the attack and for harbouring terrorists in the country. However, Pakistan has denied both the allegations.

The Pakistani military said that the shelling hit Harpal, Pukhlian and Charwah sectors along the border that separates Pakistan's Punjab province from the Jammu region in India, the news agency reported.

India's NDTV news network quoted a BSF spokesperson as saying that Pakistani troops hit 13 border outposts and villages in the RS Pura, Pargwal and Kanachak sectors on Sunday. They fired mortar shells and small arms, the person added.

Following the attack, BSF Additional Director General Arun Kumar warned Pakistan that Indian forces are prepared for any "eventuality".

"If they try to do anything, they will be given a befitting reply. We are fully prepared for that," he reportedly said.