India and Pakistan trade heavy fire in Kashmir as tensions escalate

Intense artillery and gunfire exchanges have erupted along the Line of Control in the wake of an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists.

Indian and Pakistani forces exchanged intense gunfire and artillery shelling overnight along the contested frontier in Kashmir, leaving at least five civilians dead as hostilities triggered by last month’s deadly attack on Indian tourists continue to rise.In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, local police official Adeel Ahmad reported that heavy artillery fire from the Indian side of the Line of Control killed four civilians and injured 12 others. Residents said the barrage continued into the early hours of Friday.“We’re used to hearing the exchange of fire between Pakistan and India at the Line of Control, but last night was different,” said Mohammad Shakil, a resident of Chakothi, a village near the frontier.Meanwhile, Indian military officials said Pakistani troops opened fire on their positions using artillery, mortars and automatic weapons at several locations. Indian forces retaliated, resulting in fierce fighting until dawn.One woman was killed and two civilians were wounded in the Uri sector, police confirmed, raising the number of civilian deaths in India since Wednesday to 17.Unease between the nuclear-armed neighbours have surged since 22 April, when 26 civilians — mostly Hindu Indian tourists — were killed in an attack on a popular site in Indian-administered Kashmir. India has blamed Pakistan for supporting the assailants, a charge Islamabad firmly denies.India launched airstrikes on Wednesday against what it described as militant positions inside Pakistani territory. Pakistani officials claim the strikes killed 31 civilians and said their forces shot down five Indian fighter jets.On Thursday, both nations accused each other of carrying out drone attacks. The claims could not be independently verified.India orders block on X accountsIn a separate development, X said on Thursday that the Indian government had ordered the platform to block more than 8,000 accounts from users in India, including those of “international news organisations and other prominent users”.X stated the directive amounted to “censorship of existing and future content, and is contrary to the fundamental right of free speech”.The rising conflict has also led to widespread domestic disruption across northern and western India. A cricket match in Dharamsala was abruptly halted on Thursday evening, with more than 10,000 spectators evacuated from the stadium amid fears of unrest, an Associated Press photographer reported.Multiple Indian states, including Punjab, Rajasthan and Indian-controlled Kashmir, ordered the closure of schools and universities for at least two days. India’s Civil Aviation Ministry also confirmed the temporary shutdown of 24 airports due to security concerns.As global leaders urge restraint, US Vice President JD Vance signalled a hands-off approach, stating that a potential war between India and Pakistan would be “none of our business”.Speaking to Fox News, Vance said: "What we can do is try to encourage these folks to de-escalate a little bit, but we’re not going to get involved in the middle of a war that’s fundamentally none of our business and has nothing to do with America’s ability to control it."