Indian border security forces on Friday claimed they shot dead seven Pakistani soldiers in 'retaliation' to a cease-fire violation on the disputed Kashmir border, with Pakistan refuting the claims. India's Border Security Force (BSF) alleged that Pakistan Rangers targeted Indian positions with sniper fire early Friday, following a failed attempt by militants overnight to enter the Indian side in Hira Nagar near the main city of Jammu in Indian-controlled Kashmir. "During intermittent firing of small arms and area weapons one militant and seven Rangers were shot dead," the BSF said in a press statement.

BSF spokesman Shubhendu Bhardwaj told AFP that they had launched an "aggressive offensive" after one of their soldiers was critically injured by sniper fire from across the border. "There was an infiltration attempt and sniper fire. We retaliated. The bodies are on the other side of the border," said Bhardwaj. Pakistan army spokesman Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa refuted the claim and accused India of unprovoked firing on the border. "Indian claim of hitting or killing any Pakistani soldier/Ranger with firing at anytime of today at LOC/ working boundary absolutely false," Bajwa tweeted.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2016