Incursion comes amid highest tensions between nuclear-armed neighbours in years after suicide attack
An Indian minister has said that air force jets have struck “terror camps” across the ceasefire line in Kashmir, the first aerial bombing over the disputed border since the country went to war with Pakistan in 1971.
The early morning operation, which the Pakistanis say caused no casualties or damage, comes amid the highest tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours in years, after a suicide attack on a paramilitary convoy thatkilled at least 40 security personnel earlier this month.
“Air Force carried out aerial strike early morning today at terror camps across the LoC (Line of Control) and Completely destroyed it,” the Indian minister of state for agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said on Twitter.
The Indian army and senior ministers have yet to officially comment but sources told an Indian news agency that 12 fighter jets had crossed into Pakistani territory and destroyed a militant training camp.
Pakistan’s armed forces spokesman major-general Asif Ghafoor said on Tuesday morning there had been contact between the two countries’ aircraft after a breach by the Indian side.
“Indian Air Force violated Line of Control,” Ghafoor tweeted around 5am local time. “Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled. Indian aircrafts gone back.”
He added in a tweet two hours later: “Indian aircrafts intruded from Muzafarabad sector. Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot. No casualties or damage.”
“Under forced hasty withdrawal aircrafts released payload which had free fall in open area,” he said “No infrastructure got hit, no casualties.”He said the aircraft did not intrude beyond 3 to 4 miles over the ceasefire border known as the “line of control” based on lines established after the first war the two countries fought over Kashmirshortly after independence in 1947.
His comments indicate the strike hit a small village called Balakot near the ceasefire border.
Balakot is also the name of a larger city about 50 miles from the border. Significantly, it is the Pakistani province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, outside the territory that Indian claims as its own.
Indian news agency Asian News International quoted Indian air force sources claiming 12 Mirage fighter jets had struck “a major terrorist camp” over the border with 1,000 kg of explosives. The attack took place around 3.30am, the agency claimed.
While exchanges of artillery and light weapons over line are very common, intentional incursions by aircraft have not been publicly acknowledged since the two countries fought a war in 1971.
Military planes could be heard over Srinagar, the capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, in the early hours of Tuesday morning. There has been a large troop buildup in the region in recent days and doctors have been advised to cancel leave and stockpile medicines.
More than 300 separatist activists have been detained in past days, fuelling rumours that the Indian government was preparing to respond to the Pakistanis.
India claims airstrikes on Pakistan 'terror camps' across disputed Kashmir border
Reviewed by Sachin Biju
on
February 26, 2019
Rating: 5
Reviewed by Sachin Biju
on
February 26, 2019
Rating:
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