India and Pakistan Trade Fire Across Kashmir Border Amid Rising Tensions

For the fourth consecutive night, India and Pakistan exchanged small arms fire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed region of Kashmir, amid heightened security concerns following a deadly attack on Indian tourists last week, Reuters reports.

The Indian Army reported that it responded to what it described as “unprovoked” firing from multiple Pakistani posts around midnight on Sunday. While no casualties were reported, the incident adds to growing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, who have fought two wars over the contested region.

The escalation comes days after an attack on April 22 in Kashmir’s Pahalgam area, where 26 people were killed. Indian authorities have blamed Pakistani militants for the assault, identifying two of the three suspected attackers as Pakistani nationals. Islamabad has denied any involvement and called for an independent investigation.

Witnesses and security officials said the militants appeared to target Hindus during the attack, heightening communal sensitivities in Hindu-majority India and fueling demands for a tough response against Pakistan, which New Delhi accuses of supporting militant groups active in Kashmir.

In parallel developments, the Pakistani military announced that it had killed 54 Islamist militants attempting to cross from Afghanistan into Pakistan over the past two days. The Pakistani military did not comment specifically on the exchanges along the Kashmir border.

In response to the Kashmir attack, Indian security forces have ramped up operations, detaining around 500 people for questioning and searching approximately 1,000 houses and forests across the region. At least nine homes have been demolished as part of the crackdown. Officials say the heightened military exercises underway across India are part of routine preparedness drills.

However, state leaders have urged authorities to exercise caution. Omar Abdullah, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, stressed the importance of distinguishing between militants and civilians, warning against actions that could alienate local populations.

“Punish the guilty, show them no mercy but don’t let innocent people become collateral damage,” Abdullah wrote on social media.

Meanwhile, The Resistance Front, a group linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba by some Indian analysts, initially claimed responsibility for the April 22 attack before retracting the statement. The group later blamed a “cyber intrusion” for the initial post and “unequivocally” denied involvement.

Relations between India and Pakistan have deteriorated sharply, with each side taking retaliatory measures. India has suspended parts of the Indus Waters Treaty, a key water-sharing agreement, while Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines.