Kashmir: The War on The Roof of the World

War has seized a paradise—Kashmir, perhaps one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Yet, the very geographical location that makes it an Eden is also its undoing; Kashmir lies at the crossroads of India and Pakistan. Both nuclear powers lay claim to this territory—an area the size of England—through force.

These tensions have turned the region into the most militarized zone in the world. India accuses Pakistan of allowing terrorist camps to flourish in the mountains of Kashmir. To prevent jihadists from carrying out attacks on Indian soil, India has erected a barrier several meters high between the two countries. Along the border, heavily armed soldiers glare at one another. Between clashes, attacks, and crackdowns, the death toll has reached the thousands.

Pakistani and Indian forces regularly exchange fire across the border; in 2017 alone, the UN recorded 1,881 ceasefire violations between the two nations. Our report begins in Srinagar, the capital of Indian-administered Kashmir. On Fridays—the day of major prayers—Indian soldiers clash with determined pro-independence activists. Children and teenagers are at the heart of these riots. Every week since 2016, armed only with stones, they have confronted soldiers who do not hesitate to use rifles fitted with funnel-like attachments to spray protesters with hundreds of pellets.

There are hundreds of people with battered bodies and lost eyes. The Indian government views our presence with suspicion, and we find ourselves under increasing surveillance. After a few days of filming, the Srinagar police chief summons us to the station. We are detained. Three weeks later, India expels us to France. Now *persona non grata* in India, we turn to Pakistan—and as the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Although usually very hostile toward journalists, the country agrees to host us.

We are permitted to accompany a Pakistani patrol along the border. Gunfire crackles intermittently. The Poonch Valley holds the grim record for the highest number of shelling incidents and civilian casualties.

A school has just been hit by mortar fire. Despite gaping holes in the walls, classes continue. We filmed this endless war that has pitted Pakistan against India for nearly 60 years.

Director: Paul Comiti