Awaking India
The strikes were in retaliation for a terror attack and targeted terrorist infrastructure, prompting a warning of a strong response from Pakistan’s Prime Minister.
The death toll from Indian strikes on Pakistan has risen to eight, according to a statement from the Pakistani military on Wednesday.
“In total in at six locations there were 24 impacts in Pakistan. In these 24 impacts eight Pakistanis have been martyred and 35 have been injured and two are missing,” Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said, adding one 3-year-old girl was killed in a mosque in Punjab province.
Some time ago, India launched air strikes in Bahawalpur’s Ahmed East area, Kotli and Muzaffarabad at three places from the air, he told ARY News channel.
“All of our air force jets are airborne. This cowardly and shameful attack was carried out from within India’s airspace. They were never allowed to come and intrude into the space of Pakistan,” he said.
“Let me say it unequivocally: Pakistan will respond to this at a time and place of its own choosing. This heinous provocation will not go unanswered,” he added.
India’s actions came two weeks after the Pahalgam terror attack triggered widespread outrage in India and abroad.
Operation Sindoor
The military strikes by India are a part of ‘Operation Sindoor’ launched by the Indian Armed Forces, targeting terrorist infrastructure in nine locations of Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, India’s Ministry of Defence informed in a statement.
“A little while ago, the Indian armed forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed,” the statement read.
Reacting to the missile strikes, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh wrote on “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” after the terror strikes by India. The Indian Army posted on X and said, “Justice is served. Jai Hind.”
Pakistan responds
Responding to the attack, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, “Pakistan has every right to give a befitting reply to this act of war imposed by India, and a strong response is indeed being given,” Sharif said in a statement.
As a response to the military strikes, Pakistan initiated artillery fire along the Line of Control in the Bhimber Gali in the Poonch-Rajauri region. The forces are “responding appropriately in a calibrated manner,” the Indian Army informed.
Pakistan also claimed it had shot down five planes. Pakistan military spokesperson told news agency Reuters that the country has shot down 3 Rafale planes, 1 SU-30, and 1 Mig-29 being flown by India. There has not been any official confirmation by India on this development so far.
Pahalgam terror attack
These strikes come days after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 people, mainly tourists, were killed. On Tuesday, April 22, terrorists indiscriminately shot tourists. The attack occurred in Baisaran, also known as ‘mini Switzerland’. The 26 deceased included two foreigners, one businessman from Karnataka.
In retaliation for the horrific Pahalgam massacre of 26 people, Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes early Wednesday on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including Bahawalpur which is a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror outfit.
The military strikes were carried out under ‘Operation Sindoor’, the Defence Ministry said in a statement released at 1.44 am. It said the actions by the Indian armed forces have been “focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature”.
India’s actions came two weeks after the Pahalgam terror attack triggered widespread outrage in India and abroad.
“These steps come in the wake of the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were murdered,” the Indian Defence Ministry statement said.
“We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable,” it said.
‘Operation Sindoor’
“These steps come in the wake of the barbaric Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were murdered. We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable. There will be detailed briefing on ‘OPERATION SINDOOR’, later today,” the government release read.
