India and Pakistan held a brigade commander-level flag meeting along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Friday to address rising tensions following recent incidents of cross-border firing and an IED attack, official sources confirmed. The meeting, which lasted for 75 minutes, took place at the Chakkan-Da-Bagh crossing point and focused on de-escalating hostilities along the border.
Commitment to ceasefire agreement
According to sources, the discussions were conducted in a cordial atmosphere, with both sides emphasizing the importance of maintaining peace along the LoC.
"The two delegations reaffirmed their commitment to the February 25, 2021, ceasefire agreement and agreed to avoid further violations in the larger interest of peace and stability along the borders," the sources said.
Recent violations along the LoC
Despite the ceasefire agreement, there have been multiple incidents of cross-border firing and landmine explosions in recent weeks:
- February 11: An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack in the Akhnoor sector resulted in the deaths of two Indian Army personnel, including a captain, while another soldier was injured.
- February 10 and 14: Two Indian soldiers were injured in separate incidents of small arms firing from across the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts.
- Past week: Two additional soldiers sustained injuries in separate landmine explosions in the Poonch sector.
Retaliatory action and casualties
Indian forces reportedly responded to ceasefire violations, but the extent of damage on the Pakistani side remains unknown. However, officials indicated that the enemy forces suffered "heavy casualties" in the retaliatory action.
The flag meeting is seen as a crucial step in preventing further escalations and ensuring stability along the volatile LoC.