At least 15 civilians lost their lives and 43 others sustained injuries as Pakistan launched heavy artillery and mortar attacks across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. The shelling came hours after India initiated Operation Sindoor, targeting multiple terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Civilian Areas Targeted in Poonch and Kupwara
“Artillery firing by the Pakistan Army since last night has hit civilian areas in Poonch and Tangdhar. Caused the death of 15 innocent civilians and injured 43 others,” said defence officials.
The cross-border shelling damaged homes, shops, and vehicles, leaving border districts including Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, Karnah, and Tangdhar reeling under destruction. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and panic.
“It was like a war zone with the injured screaming for help and families forced to look for cover. The damage could be seen everywhere,” said Mohd Zahid, a resident of Mankote.
Residents Forced to Flee
The attack began around 2 AM, catching many residents off guard. “We were not expecting such a situation at the dead of the night… it was better to move to some safer place,” said Khurshid Ahmad from Dhaki, where over a dozen houses were damaged.
“Pakistan is retaliating to India’s operation by targeting the civilian population. They missed the military targets and shelled us heavily overnight,” said Sardar Navneet Singh, a local from Mankote.
India Responds with ‘Operation Sindoor’
India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists. As part of the operation, the Indian Air Force (IAF) struck nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoK on Wednesday.
Officials confirmed that Indian forces responded strongly to the shelling. Several Pakistani posts involved in the attack were destroyed, leading to “many casualties on the enemy side.”
Videos showing the devastation caused by Pakistani shelling have gone viral, sparking outrage and calls for accountability.
