Indian Air Force Mirage 2000 fighters destroyed multiple terrorist camps across the Line of Control, news agency ANI reported on Tuesday.
Indian Air Force Mirage 2000 fighters destroyed multiple terrorist camps across the Line of Control, news agency ANI reported on Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan Army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor claimed Indian aircraft “intruded from Muzaffarabad sector” and “dropped a payload” near Balakot “facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force”.
ANI reports, quoting sources in the Indian Air Force, said at 0330 hours on February 26, a squadron of Mirage 2000 Indian Fighter jets struck a major terrorist camp across the LoC and completely destroyed it. The IAF source further told ANI that 1000-kg bombs were dropped on terror camps across the LoC, adding that 12 Mirage 2000 jets took part in the operation.
Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security is also underway. ANI also reported that the Indian Air Force has put on all its air defence systems along the international border and LoC on high alert to respond to any possible action by Pakistan Air Force.
The Indian Air Force or the government has not yet responded to the claims. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was the first to tweet on the attacks from the government’s side. Opposition leaders Congress president Rahul Gandhi and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal tweeted saluting the armed forces.
The reports of airstrikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, although not officially confirmed, is the first time Indian Air Force has been used in Pakistan controlled Air space after the 1971 war. During the 1999 Kargil conflict, the Vajpayee government had decided to restrict the use of IAF to own side of LoC. IAF had used Mirage 2000 to fire laser-guided bombs, fixed hastily when the Kargil conflict was on, to target Pakistani posts on the mountains of Kargil.
The capability to fix and hit the target, both during day and night and even in cloudy weather, was demonstrated by the IAF in Exercise Vayu Shakti earlier this month in Jaisalmer. The firepower demonstration had showcased capabilities which were way beyond those used during the Kargil War.
Today’s strike comes just days after 40 CRPF personnel were killed when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a bus carrying paramilitary forces in Jammu Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan Army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor claimed Indian aircraft “intruded from Muzaffarabad sector” and “dropped a payload” near Balakot “facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force”.
ANI reports, quoting sources in the Indian Air Force, said at 0330 hours on February 26, a squadron of Mirage 2000 Indian Fighter jets struck a major terrorist camp across the LoC and completely destroyed it. The IAF source further told ANI that 1000-kg bombs were dropped on terror camps across the LoC, adding that 12 Mirage 2000 jets took part in the operation.
Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval has met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security is also underway. ANI also reported that the Indian Air Force has put on all its air defence systems along the international border and LoC on high alert to respond to any possible action by Pakistan Air Force.
The Indian Air Force or the government has not yet responded to the claims. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was the first to tweet on the attacks from the government’s side. Opposition leaders Congress president Rahul Gandhi and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal tweeted saluting the armed forces.
The reports of airstrikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, although not officially confirmed, is the first time Indian Air Force has been used in Pakistan controlled Air space after the 1971 war. During the 1999 Kargil conflict, the Vajpayee government had decided to restrict the use of IAF to own side of LoC. IAF had used Mirage 2000 to fire laser-guided bombs, fixed hastily when the Kargil conflict was on, to target Pakistani posts on the mountains of Kargil.
The capability to fix and hit the target, both during day and night and even in cloudy weather, was demonstrated by the IAF in Exercise Vayu Shakti earlier this month in Jaisalmer. The firepower demonstration had showcased capabilities which were way beyond those used during the Kargil War.
Today’s strike comes just days after 40 CRPF personnel were killed when a Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a bus carrying paramilitary forces in Jammu Kashmir’s Pulwama district.