Twelve Mirage 2000 Warplanes Dropped 1,000 kg Bombs

Any retaliation from Pakistan will increase tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries: Major Gen (Rtd.) Dilawar Singh

Indian Observer Post

New Delhi, Feb 26, 2019: Finally India retaliated. In the first-ever attack across ceasefire line since 1971, Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter aircraft bombed Terror camp of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) camps in Balakot in Pakistan occupied areas of Jammu and Kashmir killing more than 350 terrorists.

At least 325 terrorists and 25 to 27 trainers were at the camp, the biggest operated by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad group, which had claimed responsibility for the February 14 suicide attack on a Central Reserve Police Force convoy in Pulwama, Kashmir that killed 40 jawans.

Twelve Mirage 2000 warplanes dropped 1,000kg bombs on a five-star, resort-style militant coaching camp in a hilltop forest in Balakot, in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province where Hundreds of Fidayeen and their trainers were shifted from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the Pulwama attack, providing Indian forces with "a sitting duck target".

The Indian Mirage 2000 fighter jets targeted terror camps dropping several 1000kg bombs in an operation lasting 2 minutes, and completely destroyed major terror launch pads in Balakot Chakothi and Muzaffarabad, across the LOC. The air strike also destroyed JeM control rooms, according to IAF sources.

“I want to assure the people that the country is in safe hands. There is nothing above the nation,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a public rally in Churu, Rajasthan, in his first remarks after the strike. He, however, did not make a direct reference to the attack or give any details.

India’s foreign secretary, Vijay Gokhale, said this was an “absolutely necessary” attack on the proscribed Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist group, which was readying for a major terrorist strike in India.

Hours after Indian fighter Jets crossed the (LoC) and bombed terrorist camps in Pakistan, India’s foreign secretary, Vijay Gokhale, at an extraordinary media briefing said the raid targeted the largest training base belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) group. JeM has claimed responsibility for orchestrating the 14 February Pulwama attack.

Gokhale said, this was an “absolutely necessary” attack on the proscribed Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist group, which was readying for a major terrorist strike in India.

“A pre-emptive strike became important. Because credible information was received that JeM was attempting other attacks in the country. India struck the biggest camp of JeM in Balakot, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said.

He said, the airstrikes were a non-military pre-emptive action and they were conducted in a thick forest area to avoid civilian casualties. The camp was led by Maulana Yusuf Azhar alias Ustad Ghauri, brother in law of JeM Chief Masood Azhar.

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said large numbers of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders were eliminated in largest JeM camp in Balakot. The camp was led by Maulana Yusuf Azhar alias Ustad Ghauri, brother in law of JeM Chief Masood Azhar,

“In an intelligence led operation in the early hours of the day, India struck the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot. In this operation, a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated,” Gokhale said.

Hours after Indian Air Force Mirage Jets carried out an aerial strike at terror camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, Indian Army jubilantly tweeted a famous poem written by Hindi poet Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'.

Additional Director General, Public Information on its official handle tweeted the Hindi poem which says that "if you are docile and polite before the enemy, he may consider you as a coward, the way Kauravas treated Pandavas".

ADG PI - INDIAN ARMY

✔@adgpi

'क्षमाशील हो रिपु-समक्ष

तुम हुए विनीत जितना ही,

दुष्ट कौरवों ने तुमको

कायर समझा उतना ही।

सच पूछो, तो शर में ही

बसती है दीप्ति विनय की,

सन्धि-वचन संपूज्य उसी का जिसमें शक्ति विजय की।

'#IndianArmy#AlwaysReady

9:27 AM - Feb 26, 2019

The poem by Hindi poet Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar' was tweeted by Additional Director General, Public Information on its official handle. Peace overtures, the poem says, is possible only when you are in a powerful position and capable to win.
 

Cutting across the party line, Indian political parties have hailed India's pre-emptive strikes on terror camps in Pakistan. The BJP said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's political will has made the difference.

BJP President Amit Shah, in a tweet, said, the strikes underscore the resolve and willpower of New India. He said, India will never tolerate terrorism.

Rahul Gandhi, President of All India Congress Party, a major opposition party also saluted the pilots of the Air Force. In a tweet, the party also hailed the role of the Air Force in keeping Indians safe with its consistent and determined effort.

8:30 AM - Feb 26, 2019

Applauding the reported air strike, Congress President Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "I salute the pilots of the IAF.''

Rahul Gandhi

✔

@RahulGandhi

 🇮🇳 I salute the pilots of the IAF. 🇮🇳

The Maharashtra Assembly passed a unanimous resolution congratulating the Air Force. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also welcomed the air strikes.

Lauding the Prime Minister, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister EK Palaniswami said due to Mr Modi's bold functioning, a successful airstrike has been carried out.

On 14 February 2019, a suicide terror attack was conducted by a Pak based terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammad, leading to the martyrdom of 40 brave jawans of the CRPF. 

What is JeM?

Terrorist outfit Jaish e Mohammad (JeM) has been active in Pakistan for the last two decades, and is led by Masood Azhar with its headquarters in Bahawalpur, Pakistan.

JeM, which is proscribed by the UN, has been responsible of a series of terrorist attacks including on the Indian Parliament in December 2001 and the Pathankot airbase in January 2016.

India has been providing information regarding the location of training camps in Pakistan and PoK to Pakistan from time to time.  Pakistan, however, denies their existence. 

“The existence of such massive training facilities capable of training hundreds of jihadis could not have functioned without the knowledge of Pakistan authorities,” said Major General (Rtd) Dilawar Singh, who himself had fought against the terror groups in J&K.

Pakistani PM Imran Khan on India’s Air Strike

Imran Khan, the Pakistani prime minister, said India’s claim that it had hit a terrorist training camp was “a self-serving, reckless and fictitious claim”.

“This action has been done for domestic consumption in the election environment, putting regional peace and stability at grave risk,” Khan said, referring to India’s general election which starts in two months.

The army had been advised “to prepare for all eventualities”, Khan added.

Pakistani President Arif Alvi also said India has created “hysteria” in the wake of this month’s attack on Indian troops in Pulwama and warned that rhetoric “can lead to war.”Pakistan’s National Security Committee condemned the attack saying it “shall respond at the time and place of its choosing.”

“Any retaliation from Pakistan will increase tensions between the two nuclear armed neighbours,” Major General (Rtd.) Dilawar Singh said commenting on Pakistan’s statement.  

Earlier, in a tweet, Major General Asif Ghafoor of Pakistan alleged that the Indian Air Force violated the Line of Control (LoC) in Muzafarabad sector.

Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor

✔

@OfficialDGISPR

 Indian Air Force violated Line of Control. Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled. Indian aircrafts gone back. Details to follow.

5:12 AM - Feb 26, 2019

"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," Major General Asif Ghafoor, said in a tweet.

Pakistan troops resort to indiscriminate firing along LoC

Meanwhile, after India’s air strike, Pakistan troops on Tuesday resorted to indiscriminate firing along the Line of Control in Akhnoor, Nowshehra, Krishna ghati and Balakote sectors of Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu Division. However, Indian troops deployed on the LoC returned the fire and gave a befitting reply.

“Pakistan troops violated the ceasefire and resorted to heavy shelling by firing mortars and small arms to target the Indian positions.,” Indian Defence Spokesperson confirmed while saying, “No damage was caused by firing on the Indian side. The exchange of fire was continuing when reports last came in.”\

NIA raids on separatists in Kashmir

In a related development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) today carried out searches on the houses of separatist leaders Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Syed Ali Shah Geelani's son Nayeem Geelani, Yaseen Malik, Shabir Shah, Ashraf Sehrai and Zaffar Bhat in the Kashmir valley in a terror funding case.

“The NIA sleuths accompanied by local police and CRPF personnel carried out searches at nearly nine places in the case related to funds allegedly received by the separatists from Pakistan through hawala channels,” officials said.

Representational Pic - IAF