Nine civilians were killed and at least 25 wounded Monday in fighting along a stretch of the disputed border between India and Pakistan in the Kashmir region, the heaviest toll since India called off a round of peace talks last month.
Pakistani forces shelled the village of Arnia about two miles from the border in the early hours of Monday, killing five and wounding at least two dozen civilians, according to Rakesh Kumar, an inspector general of the Indian border security forces. Authorities in Pakistan said Pakistani Rangers had responded to Indian fire. India's Border Security Forces (BSF) killed four Pakistani civilians, including two children and a woman.
The Himalayan region of Kashmir has been a bone of contention between India and Pakistan since they became independent in 1947. They have fought three wars and came close to a fourth in 2001 and there are regular clashes along the de facto border, known as the Line of Control (LoC). The attacks coincided with the Eid festival, celebrated by Muslims in both countries.
