Kashmir fighting escalates between India, Pakistan (ABC)

By aijaz hussain and roshan mughal, associated press
SRINAGAR, India — Jan 20, 2018, 9:50 AM ET

Indian and Pakistani troops traded fire Saturday along their volatile frontier in Kashmir, killing at least five civilians and a soldier in the latest escalation of violence in the disputed region.

The deaths on both the sides of the border came as the nuclear-armed rivals exchanged blame for initiating the hostilities, which have involved the shelling of villages and border posts and are in violation of a 2003 cease-fire accord.

Saturday's fighting is the fourth straight day of deadly confrontation between the neighbors, with six civilians and three soldiers killed in previous days.

India and Pakistan have a long history of bitter relations over Kashmir, a Himalayan territory claimed by both in its entirety. They have fought two of their three wars over the region since they gained independence from British colonial rule in 1947.

Indian police said Pakistani soldiers were targeting Indian border posts and villages with mortar shells and automatic gunfire on Saturday in Jammu region. Three civilians, one a teenage boy, were killed Saturday in Indian-controlled Kashmir and at least 16 civilians and two soldiers were wounded.
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more: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/india-accuses-pakistan-fresh-attacks-kashmir-frontier-52481010