Pakistan, India exchange ...
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Two people were killed and four others injured in Uri and Poonch sectors, police said, taking the civilian death toll in Indian-controlled Kashmir to 18 since Wednesday. Pakistan said Indian mortar and artillery fire has killed 17 civilians in Pakistan-administered Kashmir in the same period.
Indian authorities have evacuated tens of thousands of civilians from villages near the volatile frontier. Thousands of people slept in shelters for a second consecutive night.
On Thursday, Pakistan’s army said it shot down 28 Indian drones, while New Delhi accused Islamabad of launching raids with “drones and missiles,” and claimed it destroyed an air defense system in Lahore.
Tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals have soared since an attack on a popular tourist site in India-controlled Kashmir left 26 civilians dead, mostly Hindu Indian tourists, on April 22. New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for backing the attack, an accusation Islamabad rejects.
On Wednesday, India conducted airstrikes on several sites in Pakistani territory it described as militant-related, killing 31 civilians according to Pakistani officials. Pakistan said it shot down five Indian fighter jets.
The Indian army said Friday that Pakistan fired about 300-400 drones overnight in violation of Indian airspace to target military installations in nearly three dozen sites along the western borders. India brought down a number of the drones using “kinetic and non-kinetic means,” Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian air force told a news conference.
Tehran calls for restraint
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited India on Thursday following a Monday visit to Pakistan, during which he called on both sides to exercise restraint.
In his meeting with India’s Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday, Araghchi highlighted the importance of stability and security in the South Asian region for Iran and the world. He expressed hope that recent tensions in the area will be resolved through foresight and responsible determination by the involved parties.
Iran’s top diplomat also held a phone call with Pakistani Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar on Thursday.
Araghchi emphasized the importance of both parties’ efforts to prevent further escalation and reduce tensions.
The countries have fought two of their three full-scale wars over Kashmir, a disputed territory that both claim in full but administer separate portions of since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.