Three people, including a soldier, were killed and four others injured by heavy shelling across the Line of Control (LoC) by Indian troops in Rawalakot, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

Earlier today, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Chaudhry Kashif Hussain in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) said that two civilians, including a woman, had been killed by an IED blast 150 yards from the LoC around 6pm in the village of Keirni Galli in Haveli district, Dawn reported.

Zahid Hussain, 16, and Robina, 26, died on the spot, he said, while Akseer, son of Hakim Deen, received critical wounds from the blast,

“This is the last village before the LoC and exact information has yet to reach us,” he had said. “Whatever military and other sources have so far told us clearly suggests that the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED).”

“The area where the incident occurred is in the visual contact of the enemy [Indian troops] and it is highly likely that they may have detonated a previously-planted IED with a remote control after seeing people assembling near it,” DC Hussain said.

An ISPR handout issued Friday night said Indian forces targeted the civilian population in Rakhchikri, Rawalakot, with heavy weapons, resulting in two civilian casualties, leaving one civilian injured.

An army patrol assisting rescue operations in the area also came under fire, resulting in the martyrdom of Naib Subedar Nadeem, while three soldiers were injured, ISPR said.

The wounded were taken to a military-run health facility in Forward Kahuta, the district headquarters of Haveli, police said earlier.

The army’s media wing said that “troops gave a befitting response” to the cross-border firing.

Earlier today, a 25-year old man was also injured in Poonch due to Indian shelling.

Chaudhry Muhammad Arshad was standing outside a shop in the Polas Kakuta village after offering Friday prayers when shrapnel from a mortar hit him in the stomach and arms, residents and official sources said.

The shelling also partially damaged the mosque, they added. The victim was admitted to a nearby health facility.

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