AMMAN: Jordan accused Israel today [Oct 14] of firing on civilians in an exchange of fire across the River. Jordan announced that it would be sending a protest to the United Nations.

A military spokesman in Amman said that seven people were injured, four women and three men. A five-year-old boy was missing.

The victims belonged to a village which lies close to Sheikh Hussein Bridge, 15 miles south of the Sea of Galilee, where troops of both armies face each other.

In Tel Aviv, an Israeli spokesman said the clash began when Jordanian troops opened fire near the bridge. One Israeli soldier was wounded.

An Army communiqué, broadcast over Amman Radio, said that Israeli tanks fired at military and civilian targets in the Hussein Bridge area.

The communiqué said the first dash started at 0805 Amman time (0605 GMT) and lasted 15 minutes. After a 30-minute lull, the communiqué said, Israel brought up reinforcements and resumed the artillery bombardments. The second clash lasted 15 minutes.

It said there were no casualties among the Jordanian troops but “the enemy is believed to have suffered losses in lives and equipment”.

[Meanwhile, as reported by our correspondent in Karachi,] Algeria needs Pakistan’s technical know-how, particularly in the irrigation field in which Pakistan has reputedly developed a highly advanced system, Mr Abdul Kader Chanderli, leader of the six-member economic mission from Algeria, said in Karachi yesterday [Oct 14].

He further expressed the desirability of trade relations being developed “directly” between Algeria and Pakistan and not through any “intermediary” country as hithertofore.

Mr Chanderli made these observations while talking informally with Mr Rifaat A. Hasnie, President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and trade representatives, at a dinner held by the Federation in honour of the Algerian delegation at Hotel Intercontinental last night.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2017