Pakistan: Indian and Pakistani troops clash in Kashmir Jan. 15

Event

Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged heavy fire near the town of Kotli​ in the disputed Kashmir region on Monday, January 15. The troops targeted each other's positions along the Line of Control (LoC), which divides Kashmir, in the Kamalkote sector of the border town Uri. According to local sources, at least seven Pakistani soldiers and one Indian soldier were killed in the clashes.

Context

A ceasefire has been in place in Kashmir since 2003. However, over 800 incidents of ceasefire violations were reported in Kashmir in 2017 alone, resulting in the deaths of soldiers and civilians on both sides of the border. The 720-km (447-mi) LoC is the de facto border dividing Kashmir into Indian and Pakistani-controlled territories. New Delhi and Islamabad both regularly accuse each other of initiating cross-border clashes. Since their independence from Britain in 1947, the two South Asian countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.

Advice

As a reminder, some Western governments advise their citizens against travel to parts of Jammu and Kashmir, notably areas along the LoC, due to the significant risk of violence.