Rising tensions in the Kashmir region have been ignited by a recent deadly attack on Indian tourists in Pahalgam.

Indian and Pakistani forces have clashed for the third consecutive night, coinciding with India conducting naval exercises. In the aftermath of the attack, Indian security personnel have heightened their alertness in Kashmir.
For the third night in a row, troops from both countries engaged in small arms fire along the Line of Control (LoC), which delineates the territories controlled by India and Pakistan, following a militant assault that left 26 tourists dead on Tuesday in the Indian-administered area of Kashmir. On Sunday, India stated that its forces responded to what they termed "unprovoked" gunfire from Pakistani soldiers stationed along the LoC. "Our troops effectively returned fire with appropriate small arms," India's military reported, while Pakistan has yet to respond formally to the incident.

No casualties from the exchanges have been reported. Pakistan Seeks Neutral Inquiry into Attack: In reaction to India's allegations of harboring "cross-border terrorism," Pakistan's government has firmly denied the claims following the tragic incident in Pahalgam. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed on Saturday that Pakistan is "open to participating in any neutral, transparent, and credible investigation" into the assault. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi echoed this sentiment during a press conference, asserting that Islamabad is "fully prepared to cooperate with any impartial investigators to unveil the truth and ensure justice." He emphasized Pakistan's commitment to peace and stability while refusing to compromise its sovereignty. India Implements Retaliatory Steps Amid Ongoing Manhunt: In response to the attack, which marked one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in recent years, New Delhi has introduced several measures, including the suspension of a water-sharing agreement, closure of the main land border crossing with Pakistan, downgrading diplomatic relations, and revoking visas for Pakistani citizens. As part of their efforts to apprehend three suspected assailants, Indian troops bombed the home of one suspect on Saturday, along with nine other residences linked to suspected militants, as reported by an unnamed police official. Additionally, India's navy announced it has conducted exercises to "revalidate and demonstrate readiness of platforms, systems, and crew for long-range precision offensive strikes," though the specific locations of these drills were not disclosed. A senior government source quoted by the Indian Express on Sunday indicated that "military retaliation" is being contemplated, with officials discussing the potential nature of any retaliatory strikes.
Tensions Escalate as India Annuls Water Agreement with Pakistan: Since gaining independence from Britain in 1947, Kashmir has been a region divided between India and Pakistan, with both nations asserting full claim over the territory. Since 1989, an insurgency led by groups advocating for independence or accession to Pakistan has persisted in Kashmir. The two nuclear-armed countries have fought three wars over the Kashmir dispute, alongside numerous low-intensity skirmishes.
*Edited by: Bosman*