India, Pakistan exchange fire across Kashmir border after deadly attack

Shafaq News/ Indian and Pakistani forces exchanged fire on Saturday along the Kashmir border, the Indian Army said.

The cross-border exchange came after 26 people were killed on Tuesday in a tourist area of Indian-administered Kashmir, triggering an unprecedented spike in hostilities.

Indian authorities accused Pakistan-linked elements of involvement in the attack, an allegation Islamabad swiftly denied. A little-known group calling itself “Kashmir Resistance” claimed responsibility in a statement posted on social media.

Indian security agencies said the group, also known as “The Resistance Front”, is believed to operate as a front for militant organizations based in Pakistan, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.

Since the bombing, both sides have adopted retaliatory measures. India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a critical agreement governing the sharing of the region’s rivers, while Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian airlines.

The Himalayan region of Kashmir remains at the heart of the dispute between India and Pakistan, with each claiming it in full but controlling separate parts. Tensions have remained high, particularly after 2019 when India revoked Kashmir’s special constitutional status, sparking widespread unrest and a surge in militant activity.