India's Drone Attack Injures 4 Pakistani Soldiers, Escalates Border Tensions

At least four Pakistani soldiers were hurt in an Indian drone attack in the northeast city of Lahore on Wednesday, a military official stated. Addressing journalists in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry stated that India "once again" intruded into Pakistan's airspace during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, while dispatching a dozen intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance drones.

Pakistan Shoots Down Indian Drones
He claimed that all 12 Israeli-built Heron drones "were brought down by Pakistani forces in Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Attock, Ghotki, Gujranwala, Chakwal, and other cities." New Delhi had not officially responded to Islamabad's announcement regarding drone intrusions at the time of publication of this article.

Civilian Casualty Reported

A civilian was also killed in the Ghotki district of the southern Sindh province, he added. The latest situation comes as relations between the two nuclear neighbors have been strained after India conducted airstrikes on a number of cities in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Escalating Violence Along the Line of Control

At least 31 individuals died and 57 were injured from the cross-border firing and missile attacks along the Line of Control in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the Pakistani army reported. In response to Indian missile attacks on what New Delhi described as "nine terror sites," Pakistan claimed it had destroyed five Indian fighter planes and a combat drone.

No Official Response from New Delhi

There is no official reaction from New Delhi to the downing of Indian aircraft. In cross-border firing along the LoC, a de facto border separating the disputed Himalayan region between the two archrivals, 13 were killed, according to the Indian Foreign Ministry.

Casualties on the Indian Side

Another 59 individuals were injured, the ministry added Thursday. One Indian soldier was also reported to have been killed along the LoC, the Indian army added Wednesday night.