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Eight Civilians Dead After Eight Straight Days of Shelling on India-Pakistan Border

The exchange of fire on the highly militarized Line of Control between India and Pakistan came as the two countries celebrated their independence from Britain.
Imagen por Jaipal Singh/EPA

Eight consecutive days of shelling on the highly militarized Line of Control between India and Pakistan has left a combined eight civilians dead. The exchange of fire violates of a 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two countries.

Six of the deaths were recorded on India's side of the border, the most recent coming on Sunday. According to local media, two civilians were killed on Pakistan's side of the border and an additional six were injured over the course of the last week.

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The clashes began on August 8, and continued through Friday and Saturday nights, the anniversary of each country's 69th year of independence from Britain.

Both nations have accused the other of initiating the attacks. Indian army spokesman Lt. Col. Manish Mehta told Al Jazeera that Pakistani soldiers fired mortars and gunfire without any provocation. In a statement, Pakistan's army said Indian troops fired on their guards "unprovoked," adding that "Pakistani troops befittingly responded."

Related: India and Pakistan Play Blame Game in Deadly Border Clashes

Traditionally, the border guards of each nation exchange sweets on holidays like Independence Day. That exchange did not happen this year, though the leaders of both countries acknowledged the respective holidays.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted "Greetings & good wishes to the people of Pakistan on their Independence Day." Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif wished Modi the same, adding that "friendly, cooperative and good relations" were in the best interests of both countries and the region.

The tensions on the border come just before a meeting between the two countries national security advisers — Ajit Doval and Sartaj Aziz — set to take place August 23 in India. The officials are expected to discuss terrorism in the region.

In an apparently unrelated attack in the midst of it all, the home minister of Pakistan's Punjab province, Shuja Khanzada, was assassinated in his home on Sunday. The retired retired colonel was holding a tribal council at the time of the suicide bombing. Eight others were killed in the attack; no one had claimed responsibility at press time, but Khanzada had previously received threats from both the Pakistani Taliban and al Qaeda.

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