Intense artillery exchanges and shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) dividing Indian-administered and Pakistan-administered Kashmir have escalated the ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan, claiming at least 43 lives and displacing hundreds of families. The relentless barrages, which intensified following India’s Operation Sindoor missile strikes on May 7, have plunged the region into one of its deadliest crises in decades, raising fears of a broader war between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Indian authorities reported that 12 civilians, including four children, were killed in the districts of Kupwara, Baramulla, and Poonch in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir due to Pakistani shelling over the past 48 hours. Over 60 others have been injured, with hospitals in Srinagar overwhelmed. India’s Border Security Force (BSF) stated that Pakistani forces targeted civilian areas and forward posts in violation of a 2021 ceasefire agreement, prompting retaliatory fire. “Our response has been proportionate but firm to protect our people,” said a BSF spokesperson.
Pakistan, meanwhile, claimed that Indian shelling across the LoC killed 31 people, including 19 civilians, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and parts of Punjab. The Pakistani military’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) accused India of deliberately targeting villages, with images of damaged homes and schools circulating on X. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attacks as “barbaric,” vowing that Pakistan’s armed forces would respond decisively to defend its sovereignty.
The latest violence follows India’s Operation Sindoor, which struck nine alleged terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, targeting groups India blames for a April 22 attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians. Pakistan denies harboring terrorists and has labeled India’s strikes an “act of aggression,” citing civilian deaths and damage to infrastructure. The shelling along the LoC, coupled with a reported explosion near Lahore’s Walton Airport on May 8, has heightened panic and fueled calls for retaliation on both sides.
Civilians on both sides of the LoC are bearing the brunt of the conflict. In Indian-administered Kashmir, thousands have fled border villages, seeking shelter in makeshift camps. “We can’t sleep at night; the shelling doesn’t stop,” said a resident of Uri, near the LoC. In Pakistan-administered Kashmir, similar scenes of displacement have emerged, with schools and markets shuttered. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that over 15,000 people have been displaced since the violence surged.
Global leaders have expressed alarm, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities. “The people of Kashmir have suffered enough. Both sides must prioritize de-escalation and dialogue,” he said. The United States, China, and the European Union have echoed the call, while U.S. President Donald Trump offered to mediate, describing the situation as “very dangerous.”
On X, posts reflect the growing despair and anger, with hashtags like #KashmirBleeds and #StopTheWar trending. Some users shared videos of burning homes and crying families, though misinformation, including recycled footage from past conflicts, has complicated efforts to verify casualty figures. Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai also weighed in, urging both nations to protect civilians and pursue peace.
As the LoC remains a flashpoint, analysts warn that the tit-for-tat shelling risks spiraling into a full-scale military confrontation. Both India and Pakistan have reinforced their military presence along the border, with reports of troop movements and artillery deployments. The international community is pressing for a return to the 2021 ceasefire, but with trust at an all-time low, the path to peace remains fraught.
