Destroyed Army post, killed 5 soldiers: Pak,India calls it ‘baseless’

Islamabad, Feb 16: Pakistan’s army on Friday claimed it killed five Indian soldiers when it destroyed their post in Kashmir in retaliation to sniper fire that struck a school van, allegedly killing the driver.
Pakistan Army spokesman Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor and other officials said the Indian post near TattaPanivillage was “destroyed” late Thursday after alleged sniper fire earlier in the day hit a school van carrying children in Pakistan’s part of Kashmir.
Ghafoor said Pakistan will always respond to “Indian terrorism against innocent citizens.”
In a tweet, Ghaffor shared a video clip purportedly showing bombing of the Indian Army post and smoke billowing from the site after it was hit by fire. An Indian Army official in New Delhi said the Pakistan Army’s claim is “baseless”. The army has also said there was no cease-fire violation from its side.
Pakistan said gunfire hit a Pakistani school van days after India claimed gunmen belonging to the Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed were behind a weekend attack on an army camp in Kashmir. In that Saturday attack, militants stormed the Sunjuwan army camp and fought Indian troops, leaving six Indian soldiers and one civilian dead.
It prompted India to warn Pakistan that it “would pay for this misadventure.”
Pakistan condemned the attack on the van and urged the world community to take notice.
On Thursday, Pakistan summoned India’s Deputy High Commissioner JP Singh to condemn the “unprovoked firing” by Indian troops across the LoC which allegedly resulted in the death of a driver of a van carrying school children.