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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Ceasefire violated! India, Pakistan exchange fire |
| 2004-08-06 |
| via Times of India JOSY JOSEPH - THURSDAY, AUGUST 05, 2004 06:47:31 PM NEW DELHI: The eight month-old ceasefire between India and Pakistan has been violated. Ironically, the exchange of fire between the two armies came on the eve of crucial talks on Siachen, in which effort are being made to firm up the ceasefire. According to sources in the Army Headquarters, the two sides exchanged fire on Wednesday night at Bandar forest area in Handwara, in Kupwara district of the Kashmir Valley. The exchange of fire is believed to be the first breach of the longest-held ceasefire between the two sides in over half-a-century of bloody violence. The ceasefire came into existence on November 26, 2003, after India accepted a unilateral proposal from the then Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Jafarullah Khan Jamali. Sources said the 3/5 Gurkha Rifles, stationed along the Shamshabari Ridge in the forest area, initially opened fire on a group of militants trying to infiltrate across the newly-erected fencing. "The Pakistan side retaliated," a source said, confirming that the two armies exchanged several rounds of fire for a long time. More than one Army post on each side is believed to have exchanged fire. There is no indication of the violation extending to other areas along the 740-kilometre Line of Control or the 110-kilometre Actual Ground Position Line in the Siachen area. Sources said the Chief of Army Staff, General NC Vij, would be visiting the area on Friday to assess the situation. The General was supposed to visit Doda region on Thursday but has cancelled the visit, instead taking stock of the violation of the ceasefire. The ceasefire violation came on the eve of the crucial Siachen talks between the two Defence secretaries, which began in New Delhi on Thursday morning. It is not known if the incident was discussed at the meeting. Army sources said General Vij would also be given a demonstration on Friday of how militants are using techniques such as sliced rubber tubes, plastic ladders etc to scale over the multi-layered fencing that India has erected along some 580-kilometre of the LOC. Militant groups have already mastered the art of scaling the fencing, proving India's costly effort along the challenging terrain ineffective. Tit meet tat... just keep the buttons boxed and locked, children. |
| Posted by:.com |
| #3 isn't siachen that mountian ice hole they fought over in the late 90's? |
| Posted by: Dan 2004-08-06 10:22:51 AM |
| #2 Ironically, the exchange of fire between the two armies came on the eve of crucial talks on Siachen, in which effort are being made to firm up the ceasefire. Nothing ironic about it. Look how the "palestinians" get busy blowing sh*t up anytime it looks like their leaders are going to make peace overtures. They want to keep this going. |
| Posted by: BH 2004-08-06 10:01:43 AM |
| #1 Well somebody's got to keep the fire lit. That's all it is. |
| Posted by: Rafael 2004-08-06 4:05:57 AM |