Poonch (Jammu and Kashmir) [India] May 16 (ANI): Displaced border residents on Friday started returning to the last village near the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch's Salotri after a recent understanding between India and Pakistan ended days of heightened tension between the two countries.

The shelling, which affected districts in Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control, resulted in significant damage to homes and infrastructure as well as the loss of civilian lives.

The village people thanked the government for the understanding between India and Pakistan.

Amjid Ali, a resident of Salotri village, said, 'We live here and we saw something like this happening for the first time. The government had provided everything for our safety, but still, we were scared after witnessing the situation between the two countries. The Indian Army also provided us with all the safety and took care of us. The complete village was left empty after the situation. We are back here in our village as there is peace again.'

Another villager Haji Juniet urged the government to build bunkers there.

'Around 400 people stayed here. When the fire started, the people left the village. The administration took care of us, and the SHO heard our problem. Today, we have returned to our village. But there is one problem here that we don't have bunkers here. Pakistan border is near, but here there are no sufficient bunkers. I request that the government build bunkers here. We urge both countries that war is not the solution, as people die in such situations. The people who say that war should take place, but we live here, and it is very difficult for the people who stay in the border areas,' he said.

Yesterday, the Indian Army carried out a door-to-door assistance drive in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, especially in areas near the Line of Control (LoC) that were severely affected by recent Pakistani shelling.

As part of the outreach effort, Army jawans distributed essential supplies, including medicines and rations, to civilians impacted by the cross-border hostilities following Operation Sindoor, which was launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, including a Nepali national.

Troops from the Army's Romeo Force also interacted with locals to understand their needs and provide reassurance during the ongoing security situation.

The Indian Armed Forces responded firmly to the aggression, targeting several military positions across the border. Later, both countries agreed to stop the firing and military action after Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) contacted his Indian counterpart.

Operation Sindoor was India's decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Launched on May 7, Operation Sindoor led to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.

After the attack, Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling across the Line of Control and Jammu and Kashmir as well as attempted drone attacks along the border regions, following which India launched a coordinated attack and damaged radar infrastructure, communication centres and airfields across 11 airbases in Pakistan.

After this, on May 10, an understanding of the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan was announced. (ANI)