AT LEAST five civilians have been killed as Indian and Pakistani soldiers exchanged heavy shelling and gunfire across their countries’ frontier in Kashmir.

Thursday night’s violence escalated a conflict that erupted following an attack on tourists in the India-controlled portion of the region, which both India and Pakistan claim in its entirety.

In Pakistan, an unusually intense night of artillery exchanges left at least four civilians dead and wounded 12 others in areas near the Line of Control that divides Kashmir, local police official Adeel Ahmad said. People in border towns said the firing had continued well into this morning.