Indian Army tells Pakistan it will ‘retaliate appropriately’ if its troops are killed
The Pakistani director general of military operations had accused the Indian security forces of killing six civilians on Thursday.
India’s Director General of Military Operations AK Bhatt told his Pakistani counterpart Sahir Shamshad Mirza on Friday that the Indian Army reserves the right to “retaliate appropriately” to any loss of lives of its personnel because of Pakistani firing across the Line of Control, an Army statement said. Bhatt and Mirza spoke over the telephone on Friday.
The telephonic conversation between Bhatt and Mirza came after Pakistan claimed that the Indian Army targeted its civilians across the border on Thursday, killing six people and injuring 20 others. “The violation clearly undermines all existing understandings on the issue,” said the media wing of the Pakistan Army. “The Indian DGMO was conveyed unflinching resolve of the Pakistan Army to ensure security of its population, and it shall continue to take all necessary measures to deter any such aggression in future.”
In response, India said that all ceasefire violations across the border had been initiated by Pakistani troops, and that the Border Security Force had only responded appropriately. The Indian Army added that its forces had not targeted any civilians, and only killed armed men trying to enter the Indian territory.
