Couple wounded in Indian shelling

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MUZAFFARABAD: A couple was injured in Bhimber district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) due to “unprovoked” ceasefire violation by the Indian army, marking the first civilian casualties of 2021, officials said on Sunday.

Mohammad Khalil, 65, and his spouse Faryad Bibi, 58, were wounded in Khaitar Baroh village on Saturday evening after the Indian army resorted to shelling “without any provocation”, Bhimber Deputy Commissioner Qaiser Aurangzeb.

The couple, he said, had been evacuated to a nearby health facility and was out of danger.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) also confirmed that Indian troops had resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in Baroh and Khanjar sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) in Bhimber district.

The Indian army deliberately targeted the civilian population with mortars and automatics, causing the civilian casualties, it added.

According to the ISPR, Indian troops had committed 38 ceasefire violations since Jan 1. However, previously no one was hurt and Saturday’s were the first civilian casualties.

Last year, as many as 33 civilians were killed and another 260 wounded in different areas of AJK in ceasefire violations by the Indian army.