SRINAGAR, Nov 22: India and Pakistan exchanged artillery fire along the Line of Control, and blamed each other on Thursday for the flare-up which killed one woman.

A Pakistani military statement said the Indian army started the firing on Wednesday along the Line of Control in the Neelum Valley and Aliabad sectors.

More than 10 civilians were wounded and one woman was killed in Azad Kashmir.

“ The Indian army used medium and field artillery, heavy mortars, missiles, heavy machine-guns and small arms, which resulted in casualties to innocent civilians,” it said.

An Indian army spokesman blamed Pakistani troops for starting the artillery duel in the Karnah, Kern and Teetwal sectors.

“Our troops also retaliated. The exchange of artillery fire was going on till last reports came in,” he told Reuters in Srinagar.

Indian police said a teenage girl and her brother were seriously hurt when a Pakistan shell exploded near their house.

Tensions have risen in recent weeks with the two sides accusing each other of moving troops closer to the border.

Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes told parliament on Thursday that some of the Pakistani troop formations, which had advanced closer to the border, had since moved back.—Reuters