Indian and Pakistani civilians describe aftermath of strikes and shelling

Mohammed Waheed was accelerated dormant astatine his location successful Pakistan-administered Kashmir successful the aboriginal hours of Wednesday greeting erstwhile a immense blast shook his home.

"Before we could adjacent process what was happening, much missiles struck, causing wide panic and chaos," helium told the BBC, adding that helium had jumped retired of furniture and tally extracurricular on with his household and neighbours.

"Children were crying, women were moving around, trying to find safety."

Mr Waheed lives successful Muzaffarabad, the superior of Pakistan-administered Kashmir - it is 1 of astatine slightest 3 places that were deed by Indian rocket strikes connected Wednesday.

The Indian subject said it carried retired the strikes successful effect to a militant onslaught successful Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. It has blamed Pakistan-based militant groups for the attacks, accusing Islamabad of tacitly supporting them - a complaint Pakistan has consistently denied.

The BBC spoke to witnesses successful some Indian and Pakistan administered Kashmir who described the strikes by India arsenic good arsenic the aftermath of shelling by Pakistan.

Pakistan said 8 civilians were killed and 35 others injured arsenic a effect of the strikes this morning, according to Islamabad.

India's service has besides said that astatine slightest 7 civilians person been killed by Pakistani shelling connected its broadside of the Line of Control (LoC) - the de facto borderline betwixt some countries.

Ruby Kaur, who lived successful India's Poonch territory on the LoC has been identified arsenic 1 of the Indians who has been killed.

Her uncle, Buava Singh, told the BBC that a mortar ammunition struck adjacent Ms Kaur's location astir 1:45 am, sidesplitting her connected the spot and injuring her daughter.

"Her hubby was not keeping well. She woke up to marque beverage for him erstwhile the mortar ammunition landed adjacent to her house," helium said.

He added that the dense shelling connected Wednesday greeting was thing "we person ne'er seen truthful far". Singh says that determination were nary assemblage bunkers successful the area, which meant residents were forced to instrumentality structure successful their homes.

"The shrapnel deed her head. She was bleeding heavily. We rushed her to a adjacent hospital, but she was declared dead," Mr Singh said.

Another nonmigratory from Poonch said they heard "loud explosions for hours connected Wednesday night".

"It was a panicky concern crossed the metropolis and different areas adjacent to the Line of Control (LoC)," Dr Zamrood Mughal said implicit phone.

"People couldn't slumber the full night. People abandoned their homes and ran for safer places. A ammunition deed the main municipality adjacent the wood bureau and damaged the adjacent structure."

Muhammad Younis Shah successful Pakistan-administered Kashmir, described however 4 missiles fired by India landed connected an acquisition analyzable successful the Nangal Sahadan suburb, destroying a mosque successful the process.

"There is simply a schoolhouse and assemblage for children, a hostel, and a aesculapian analyzable here," helium says. "The archetypal 3 missiles came successful succession, portion the 4th rocket came with an interval of 5 to 7 minutes."

While rescue operations successful the are underway, locals accidental they are anticipating further escalation of the violence, and terrified of what whitethorn travel next.

"We're terrified, and we don't cognize what to do," says Mr Waheed. "People are fleeing their homes and the consciousness of uncertainty is overwhelming."”

His chap Muzaffarabad nonmigratory Shahnawaz echoes this, saying helium and his household were present "desperately searching for harmless locations".

"We were anticipating thing would happen, and present we're gripped with fearfulness of further escalations."

Delhi emphasised its actions connected Wednesday were "focused, measured and non-escalatory successful nature", but locals successful the targeted areas successful Pakistan-administered Kashmir accidental that their mosques and residential complexes were among the sites hit.

Mr Waheed told the BBC helium could not fathom wherefore his section mosque was deed successful the onslaught which helium claims injured "dozens of men and women" successful his neighbourhood successful Muzaffarabad.

"It's hard to understand," helium says. "It was a mean thoroughfare mosque wherever we prayed 5 times a day. We ne'er saw immoderate suspicious enactment astir it."

Delhi emphasised its actions connected Wednesday targeted violent infrastructure and said thee were chosen "based connected credible quality inputs".

But locals successful the targeted areas successful Pakistan-administered Kashmir accidental that their mosques and residential complexes were among the sites hit.

Mr Waheed cannot fathom wherefore his section mosque was hit, which injured "dozens of men and women" successful his neighbourhood successful Muzaffarabad.

"It's hard to understand," helium says. "It was a mean thoroughfare mosque wherever we prayed 5 times a day. We ne'er saw immoderate suspicious enactment astir it."