Five members of an Indian family were killed and two wounded by Pakistani shelling in disputed Kashmir on March 18.

Both sides were engaging in heavy shelling despite a 15-year-old cease-fire between the nuclear-armed rivals in the area, the officials said.

Nine people were also wounded across the border in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir due to the shelling from India that began late on March 17, Pakistani officials said.

Like in the past, both countries blamed the other for starting the firing, insisting they were only retaliating.

Tension has been running high since an attack on an Indian Army camp in India-controlled Kashmir last month in which six soldiers were killed. India blamed Pakistan for the attack and said it would make its rival pay for the "misadventure."

India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars since 1947 over their competing claims to the region.

Based on reporting by AP and Reuters