India accuses Pakistan army of 2nd cease-fire violation in Kashmir in 4 days

SRINAGAR, India — India on Wednesday accused the Pakistan army of firing rockets and mortars on half a dozen Indian army positions in a second violation of their cease-fire agreement in Kashmir this week.

There were no casualties on the Indian side, said Lt. Col. Biplab Nath, an Indian army spokesman. Indian soldiers fired back on Pakistani positions in Poonch sector, he said.

"It was an unprovoked firing, a brazen cease-fire violation," Nath said.

Pakistani officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Officials earlier said one Indian soldier was killed when Pakistani soldiers fired machine-guns and rockets on an Indian military post late Sunday night in the same sector, 110 miles (180 kilometres) southwest of Srinagar, the region's main city.

India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir since they gained independence from Britain in 1947, but their forces have observed a cease-fire there since November 2003. There have been occasional incidents of shooting by the two sides.

India also accuses Pakistan of helping Islamic militants cross from its portion of Kashmir to the Indian side, which Pakistan denies.