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Seven Pak soldiers killed at LoC

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

In a pre-Republic Day flare up at the Line of Control, at least seven Pakistani soldiers, including an officer, were killed in two clashes in the wee hours of Saturday. Four Indian soldiers were injured, two of them seriously.

According to an army spokesman, approximately 25 Pak soldiers led by an officer and supported by heavy mortar fire attacked the Indian post PP 13. The post, which was attacked at about 5 am this morning, is near Raipur in Akhnoor sector.

A Grenadiers Battalion, which was stationed at the post repulsed the attack, the spokesman said. "Five bodies of Pak soldiers, including that of one officer, along with three rifles, six carbines, one universal machine gun and one rocket launcher have been recovered by our troops," the spokesman said.

He said two bodies are lying in the Sarkanda and have so far not been recovered due to heavy mortar fire, he said.

The Indian Army also destroyed one Pakistani ammunition bunker, opposite PP 13, in retaliatory fire.

After the Kargil incursion, this was the sixth attempt by Pakistani troops to capture an Indian post at the LoC.

In another clash at Sunderbani sector, two Pakistani soldiers were killed.

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