NEW DELHI: Nine

were killed in two operations in the last 24 hours in Jammu and

, in which three soldiers also laid down their lives, said the Army on Sunday, even as India and Pakistan continued to exchange heavy fire along the volatile Line of Control (LoC).

Four

terrorists, who had earlier killed four civilians, were eliminated in the

area of south Kashmir on Saturday morning in a joint

conducted by the Army and police forces.

Five more terrorists were killed while they were trying to infiltrate across the LoC in the Keran sector of north Kashmir on Sunday morning. “The terrorists were trying to infiltrate into Kashmir by taking advantage of the bad weather and tough terrain in the Keran area when they were detected by our alert troops,” said an officer.

“In the fierce gunfight, one soldier died on the spot, while two more succumbed to their injuries in the hospital later. Two more jawans are injured. The mopping up operation is still in progress,” he added.

Officers said the Army continues to maintain high operational readiness all along the 778-km long LoC, which continues to remain highly volatile with regular cross-border firing duels and infiltration bids.

India recorded as many as 3,479

violations and firings across the LoC and the 198-km international border in J&K in 2019, smashing all annual records since 2003.

The number of ceasefire violations along the LoC has already crossed 1,160 this year, with 367 being recorded in January, 382 in February and 411 in March. In the corresponding January-March timeframe last year, the number stood at 685.

The already heavy exchange of firing across the LoC had further escalated after the Modi government revoked the special status of J&K on August 5 last year and then split the state into two union territories.

“The upward trend in ceasefire violations has continued since then, though there has been a general decline in terrorist violence in the hinterland. With the snow in the mountain passes melting now, there has been a spike in infiltration attempts,” said another officer.