SRINAGAR, India Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged heavy artillery and mortar fire on their disputed Kashmir border for a fourth day Friday, a defense spokesman said here. Intermittent and heavy firing by Pakistani troops on Indian positions continued throughout the night at the border outpost of Keran in the northern district of Kupwara, the spokesman said. The intensity of the attack waned early Friday. The official said there was no provocation from the Indian side.

We return the fire but in restrained manner. The Keran outpost has been tense since Tuesday when Pakistani troops, according to India, opened fire on its positions, killing three soldiers on the eve of the Indian defense minister's visit to the region. Indian and Pakistani troops engage in regular gunfire duels across their winding Kashmir border. Artillery and mortar attacks, however, are rare.

Both countries claim Kashmir, which is divided between them. They have fought two wars over the Muslim-majority state. Tuesday's mortar fire damaged a mosque and a few homes. On Thursday evening, a civilian was injured when Pakistani troops fired mortar shells on a frontier village, the defense spokesman said. The last major clashes came in October, when the Indian government claimed 18 Indian civilians had died in heavy artillery fire on the town of Kargil. Pakistan denied the report.

New Delhi accuses Islamabad of arming and training Muslim separatist militants who are fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir. Pakistan says its support is limited to diplomacy. (AFP)