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India, Pakistan Trade Accusations Over Kashmir Violence


An Indian Border Security Force soldier injured in exchange of fire on the India Pakistan border is brought for treatment at the government medical college hospital in Jammu, India, July 15, 2015.
An Indian Border Security Force soldier injured in exchange of fire on the India Pakistan border is brought for treatment at the government medical college hospital in Jammu, India, July 15, 2015.

India and Pakistan are blaming each other for fresh violence in the Kashmir region that has left several people dead in the past two days.

On Thursday, Pakistan accused Indian forces of "unprovoked" firing that killed at least four civilians and wounded four others.

The foreign ministry summoned the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad and lodged a "strong protest" over what it said were border and air space violations.

Pakistan said its troops shot down an unmanned Indian spy plane or drone Wednesday that illegally crossed into Pakistani air space. The Indian military denied the accusation.

Cross-border fighting

India also said Pakistani forces fired across the border early Thursday, injuring at least three villagers. That followed gunfire Wednesday in Kashmir that India said killed a woman and wounded at least two other people.

The Indian government lodged its own protest with Pakistan over what it said were repeated cease-fire violations.

Pakistan's foreign ministry said Thursday that it urged India to respect the 2003 agreement "in the spirit of maintaining peace and tranquility" along the Kashmir border and the region.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan, though both nations claim the region in its entirety.

The nuclear-armed neighbors have fought two wars over the region since gaining independence from Britain in 1947.

Ayaz Gul contributed to this report from Islamabad.

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