Thu May 08 05:20:47 UTC 2025: ## Kashmiris Bear Brunt of Renewed India-Pakistan Tensions as Border Violence Escalates

**Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir –** A new wave of violence between India and Pakistan has left the civilian population of Kashmir caught in the crossfire, with intense shelling reported along the Line of Control (LoC) resulting in significant casualties and widespread destruction. The escalation, which marks the most extensive attack on Pakistani soil since 1971, follows a deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, on April 22nd.

In response to the Pahalgam attack, India launched missile strikes targeting multiple sites across Pakistan’s Punjab province and Pakistan-administered Kashmir early Wednesday morning. India claims the strikes targeted “terror base camps,” while Pakistan denies the accusations, stating that the strikes killed 31 innocent civilians. Pakistan retaliated with intense shelling in several areas of Indian-administered Kashmir, the most significant in over 40 years, according to locals and experts.

The shelling, concentrated in Poonch and Rajouri districts, resulted in at least 11 deaths in Poonch alone, including two siblings killed when a shell hit their home, and a seven-year-old child. Villages like Shahpur, Mankote, and Krishna Ghati were particularly hard-hit, forcing mass evacuations as residents fled for safety. Similar scenes of intense shelling and displacement were reported in Salamabad Uri in northern Kashmir. Videos shared on social media, authenticated by Al Jazeera, depict the horrific aftermath, showing injured and deceased civilians.

While both India and Pakistan engage in a war of words and military posturing, Kashmiris on the ground express deep fear and anger. Many criticize the lack of timely evacuation efforts by Indian authorities, leading to preventable casualties. The sentiment amongst residents is overwhelmingly one of wanting peace and an end to the violence that repeatedly forces them to bear the consequences of the conflict between their nuclear-armed neighbours. The renewed conflict threatens to unravel the 2003 ceasefire agreement, raising fears of a wider conflict. The situation remains highly volatile, with both sides seemingly locked in an escalating cycle of violence, leaving the future of Kashmir’s civilian population uncertain and precarious.

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