At least 14 Indian soldiers have been killed in retaliatory firing by Pakistani forces in response to Indian aggression along the Line of Control (LoC), security sources said on Thursday.

Defence analyst Major General (retired) Ijaz Awan said that 14 Indian soldiers were killed in an exchange of fire between armies of Pakistan and India along LoC.

“There have been eight casualties in one sector and six in the other. According to my sources the bodies of eight Indian soldiers have not been picked up from Tatta Pani Sector," said Awan.

The development comes in wake of cross-border firing between armies of the two countries, along the de facto border in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir on Thursday.

The exchange of fire took place in the Bhimber, Hot Spring, Kel and Lipa sectors in Azad Kashmir, and lasted about six hours, ISPR said in a statement.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Asim Bajwa also confirmed the deaths of two Pakistani soldiers in the exchange of fire.

Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt-Gen Ranbir Singh claimed Indian Army had conducted surgical strikes on terror launch pads along LoC.

Pakistan, however, refuted the Indian claim. “The notion of surgical strike linked to alleged terrorist bases is an illusion being deliberately generated by Indian to create false effects,” ISPR said.

Read: Pakistan summons Indian envoy to protest over soldiers’ deaths

Tension between Pakistan and India has been high since an Indian crackdown on dissent in Kashmir following the killing by security forces of Burhan Wani, a young separatist leader, in July.

Both the South Asian rivals claim Kashmir in full, but govern separate parts, and have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947, two of them over Kashmir.