Three soldiers killed in Pakistani Kashmir

Islamabad: Three soldiers were killed in Pakistani-administered Kashmir on Monday, the Pakistan military said, in the latest deadly incident along the heavily militarised de-facto border with India.

The soldiers were shot near the Bhimber sector on the Line of Control that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

“Three soldiers who were critically injured at the Line of Control in Thoob sector near Bhimber have been martyred,” the military said in a statement, without providing further details.

The incident came a day after eight people were killed in Indian-administered Kashmir following a gunbattle between suspected militants and the Indian army.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since they won independence from Britain in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety.

Tensions in the disputed region reached dangerous levels in September when India blamed Pakistani militants for a raid on an army base that killed 19 soldiers.

Since then there have been repeated outbreaks of cross-border firing, with both sides reporting deaths and injuries including of civilians.