The Border Security Force (BSF) has reported unprovoked firing from the Pakistani side targeting its posts in the Arnia area of Jammu and Kashmir. The incident occurred at around 8pm, and the BSF troops responded promptly to the aggression. The BSF said in a statement the unprovoked firing initiated by the Pak Rangers was met with a befitting retaliation from its troops.

The exchange of fire between the two sides is ongoing, and the situation remains tense in the Arnia sector.

“Tonight at about 2000 hrs unprovoked firing started by Pak Rangers on BSF posts in Arnia area which is befittingly retaliated by BSF troops. The firing is still on,” the BSF said in a statement.

This incident comes on the heels of recent ceasefire violations by Pakistan in the same sector in which two BSF personnel were injured. The BSF personnel sustained bullet injuries after Pakistan Rangers “resorted to unprovoked firing” on border guards along the IB at the Vikram BoP in the Arnia sector on October 17.

The BSF had lodged a protest with Pakistan Rangers over unprovoked cross-border firing at the forward post along the Indo-Pak border. During the meeting, BSF officials also raised the issue of smuggling of narcotics from across the border and said they have pictorial evidence of smugglers killed by the force, the officials said.

As usual, they said, Pakistan Rangers denied their involvement.

Ceasefire violations in this region have been a recurring issue, causing concern and instability in the border areas. There have been more than a dozen such ceasefire violations after India and Pakistan signed an agreement on February 25, 2021, to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and other sectors. The Indian government has consistently called on Pakistan to maintain peace and adhere to the ceasefire agreement to prevent any further escalation of hostilities in the region.