Thousands flee fresh Kashmir fighting

About 6,000 civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir flee from homes as India and Pakistan engage in border firing.

About 10,000 civilians have been displaced since last week as fighting intensifies [AFP]

Last updated: 06 Jan 2015  Thousands of people have fled from their homes as fighting between India and Pakistan spread along a 200km stretch of the border in the disputed region of Kashmir. Tension between the nuclear-armed rivals has risen since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called off peace talks in August and clashes along stretches of their border have been erupting intermittently since October. At least 10 Indian and Pakistani soldiers and civilians have been killed in fighting over the past week. About 6,000 civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir fled from their homes late on Monday as fighting moved to civilian areas, said Shantmanu, the divisional commissioner of Jammu region. About 4,000 left after fighting began last week. "We had a narrow escape and there is a war-like situation," Sham Kumar, 54, from Sherpur village told Reuters news agency. "Pakistani troops are using long-range weapons. It is the first time we have seen such intense shelling." Kumar added. Indian and Pakistani forces again exchanged gunfire and mortar bombs across parts of their border on Tuesday, an Indian Border Security Force official, who didn't want to be named, said. "The firing is going on and we are giving befitting reply to Pakistani shelling," the official said. Pakistani officials were not immediately available for comment. The violence comes days before US Secretary of State John Kerry is due to visit India. President Barack Obama is also due to visit India later this month. The US has for years been trying to push the South Asian rivals to build better relations. Mistrust between India and Pakistan is a factor behind conflict in various parts of the region including Afghanistan. The rivals, who have fought two wars over Muslim-majority Kashmir, blame each other for the upsurge in clashes since October.