Pakistan’s army spokesman accused India of hurting four soldiers in a drone attack near Lahore, an incident he described as a “serious, serious provocation” and one that “is further escalating” the unfolding conflict.
India sent drones to “multiple locations” in Pakistan and 12 were shot down, said Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, spokesperson for the Pakistan Armed Forces, in a briefing on Thursday.
But he said one drone broke through and “managed to engage a military target near Lahore, partially,” leading to the soldiers’ injuries. He also said one civilian had been killed and another hurt by falling debris in the southern Sindh province.
It is “yet another blatant act of military aggression by India,” Chaudhry said.
India has not immediately responded to Pakistan’s accusation.
But India’s Press Information Bureau has been active on social media pushing back against specific photos and videos purporting to show the downed drones.
The two nuclear-armed powers are clashing in the aftermath of the Pahalgam massacre, in which 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, were killed by gunmen attacking a popular beauty spot in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
India called it a terror attack and accused Pakistan of having a hand in the incident. But Pakistan has denied any involvement.
Overnight from May 7 to 8, India launched a number of strikes on what it said was terrorist infrastructure in Pakistani territory linked to Pahalgam, and at the center of plans for more attacks.
But Pakistan said India struck civilians in the strikes, killing dozens of people, including some at a mosque. It denied hosting terror camps and responded to the strikes with shelling into Indian-controlled Kashmir, also claiming to have shot down five Indian jets.
Indian authorities evacuated civilians from dozens of villages living close to the highly militarized Line of Control overnight into Thursday, while some living in border towns like Uri and Poonch left their homes voluntarily, local officials told The Associated Press.
India’s foreign ministry said that 13 civilians were killed and 59 wounded the previous day during exchanges of fire across the de facto border. An Indian soldier was also killed by shelling Wednesday, according to the Indian army.
This is a breaking news story and more information will be added soon.
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
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