India and Pakistan Exchange Fresh Border Fire

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, December 25, 2001

India and Pakistan Exchange Fresh Border Fire

India and Pakistan exchanged mortar and small arms fire across their disputed border in Kashmir Tuesday and Indian officials said hundreds of frightened civilians had started leaving their homes in the area.

There were no reports of casualties in the latest exchanges that ran through the night and were the latest sign of tension between the nuclear rivals following a December 13 suicide attack on India's parliament.

India, which blames the suicide attack on Pakistan-based Kashmiri separatist groups, has recalled its ambassador to Islamabad and Monday ordered the expulsion of a Pakistani diplomat.

"Firing is continuing in Samba and Hiranagar sectors of Jammu region but we don't have any report of casualties," an Indian defense official told Reuters.

A senior Pakistani army officer said earlier the situation was "highly explosive" and continued border clashes could spark an uncontrollable flare-up involving nuclear weapons.

The two hostile neighbors have reinforced positions on either side of their border in Kashmir, India's only Muslim majority state, since the December 13 suicide attack which killed 14 people.

India says three border guards have been killed and half a dozen people injured on its side of the border in a week of cross-border exchanges. Pakistan says two civilians have been killed and four wounded on its side.

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