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Pak firing again
Army foils infiltration in Mendhar sector
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, June 19
In yet another ceasefire violation, the Pakistani army fired indiscriminately on Indian positions to give cover to about 30 militants trying to cross the Line of Control (LoC) in Mendhar sector of Poonch today.

The Army retaliated, killing eight militants near the Zero Line in front of the Deep Post.

Sources said the firing took place at about 2 pm along Betaar Nullah near the Deep Post in Mendhar sector.

Bodies of six militants were still lying at the no man’s land near the LoC, the sources said. The Pakistani army used light machine gun fire to try and retrieve the bodies.

Reports suggested that the Pakistani army attempted to destroy the Deep Post as many infiltration bids have been foiled in the past.

The infiltrating group of militants might have been regulars in the Pakistani army, which is why they open fire to take back the bodies, the source said.

Lt-Col S.D. Goswami, defence spokesperson, claimed that firing took place at around 12:15 pm and continued till 5:30 pm.

He said the infiltration bid was foiled. During the last two months, the Pakistani troops have violated the four-year-old ceasefire about six times.

Srinagar (PTI): The Army refuted that it violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and said an infiltration bid was foiled leading to the gunning down of a militant who sneaked in from across the border.

“No violation of ceasefire has taken place along the LoC by our troops guarding the borders”, an army spokesman said reacting to claims emanating from Pakistan that Indian troops had violated the ceasefire by opening fire on their troops.

An infiltration bid was foiled by the troops at Sonapindi Gali in Kupwara district when troops exchanged fire for 30 minutes with the militants attempting to sneak in from across the border in which one intruder was killed.

India to protest Sikkim incursions by China
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 19
India is concerned over the recent incursions by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) into its territory along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and will take up the issue at the ‘appropriate highest level’ with China. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a seminar, minister of state for defence M.M. Pallam Raju said the issue would be raised at the next flag meeting between the Indian Army and PLA and also discussed at the appropriate highest level. “As two responsible neighbours, we will sort it out."

In recent days, there have been frequent incursions into Indian territory along the LAC.

"It is unfortunate that these have happened and it (Sikkim issue) is being raised again...Sikkim is a closed chapter as far as we are concerned," the minister said.