Pakistan launched multiple attacks along India s western border India says

JAMMU/SRINAGAR, India - Pakistan’s armed forces launched “multiple attacks” using drones and other munitions along India’s entire western border on May 8 night and early on May 9, the Indian army said, as conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours intensified.

The old enemies have been clashing since India struck multiple locations in Pakistan on May 7 that it said were “terrorist camps” in retaliation for a deadly attack in its restive region of Kashmir in April, and claiming Islamabad was involved.

Pakistan denied the accusation but both countries have exchanged cross-border firing and shelling and sent drones and missiles into each others airspace since then, with nearly four dozen people dying in the violence.

The army also said Pakistani troops had resorted to “numerous cease fire violations” along the countries’ de-facto border in Kashmir, a region that is divided between them but claimed in full by both.

“The drone attacks were effectively repulsed and befitting reply was given to the CFVs (ceasefire violations),” the army said, adding all “nefarious designs” would be responded to with “force”.

There was no immediate response from Pakistan to the Indian statement.

Islamabad had earlier denied attacking Pathankot city in India’s Punjab state, Srinagar in the Kashmir valley, and Rajasthan state’s Jaisalmer, saying the accusations were “unfounded” and “politically motivated”.

Sirens in Amritsar

A “major infiltration bid” was “foiled” in Kashmir’s Samba region on May 8 night, India’s Border Security Force said, and heavy artillery shelling persisted in the Uri area on May 9, according to a security official who did not want to be named.

“Several houses caught fire and were damaged in the shelling in the Uri sector...one woman was killed and another injured in overnight shelling,” the official said.

Sirens blared for more than two hours on May 9 in Indias border city