Indian officials say troops exchanged fire with Pakistani soldiers in disputed Kashmir

Indian and Pakistani soldiers engaged in a brief exchange of fire along their heavily militarized frontier in Kashmir, escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. This incident came in the wake of a deadly attack on tourists, which India has labeled as a “terror attack” and blamed Pakistan for supporting it. Pakistan, however, denied any involvement in the massacre near the resort town of Pahalgam in India-controlled Kashmir, which was claimed by a previously unknown militant group called the Kashmir Resistance.

In response to the attack, India vowed to hunt down the terrorists responsible “to the ends of the earth.” The situation in the region remained volatile, with reports of Pakistani soldiers firing at an Indian position in Kashmir on Thursday night. While Indian soldiers retaliated, no casualties were reported in the skirmish.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have been on the rise since the attack in Kashmir, the worst assault in years targeting civilians in the region. India took several punitive measures, including suspending a water-sharing treaty and revoking visas issued to Pakistani nationals. In retaliation, Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian-owned airlines, suspended trade with India, and canceled visas issued to Indian nationals.

The suspension of the water treaty, a crucial agreement that has withstood previous conflicts between the two countries, could have severe consequences, leading to water shortages in parts of Pakistan already grappling with drought. Pakistan also warned that any Indian attempt to interfere with the flow of water would be considered an “act of war.”

Furthermore, Pakistan threatened to suspend the Simla Agreement, a peace treaty signed after the 1971 war that established the Line of Control in Kashmir. The United Nations called on both countries to exercise restraint and prevent the situation from deteriorating further.

In a show of solidarity with their respective governments, protesters took to the streets in Muzaffarabad and New Delhi to denounce the actions of the opposing country. In Muzaffarabad, demonstrators condemned the suspension of the water-sharing treaty, while in New Delhi, protesters demanded action against Pakistan in response to the killings.

As the situation remains tense and uncertain, both India and Pakistan face mounting pressure to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Kashmir. The international community has called for dialogue and mutual engagement to prevent further escalation of hostilities between the two nuclear-armed rivals.