ollowing the successful attacks on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed's training camps this morning, official statement from the Government of India has also come in which India confirmed the action, saying it had targeted the biggest training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad, the terror group involved in the February 14 attack on a CRPF convoy in which 44 jawans martyred.
As many as 12 Mirage 2000 jets took part in the operation that completely destroyed several terror camps across the Line of Control in Pakistan. According to the information Mirage 2000 jets hit Balakot 24 Kilometers North West of Muzaffarabad the provincial capital of Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and is about 50 km (31 miles) from the Line of Control (LoC), at 3:45 am. Cracking on Balakot is a temporal high gallantry for Indian Air Force because it not only crossed the Line of Actual Control, they crossed the entire Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and then hit the target inside in the province of Khyber Pakhtukhwa. This crackdown also struck Chakoti in PoJK from 3:58 am and Muzafarrabad from 3:48 am.
Foreign Secretary of India Vijay Gokhle says India taken the action after Pakistan failed to take any concrete action against terrorists. He further says that a large number 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, the brother-in-law of JeM Chief Masood Azhar." As per an initial estimate, around 300 terrorists are believed to be killed in the airstrike, sources have said.
Reactions from Pakistan
However ruling party in Pakistan, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf rejects the air strikes conducted by the Indian Air Force. "We realise it's election year, and a desperation across the border. Fact of the matter is, Indian jets were forced to retreat in haste by Pakistan army patrols and dumped fuel, which in their scramble they thought was a bomb."
Pakistan army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor also confirmed that that the Indian Air Force (IAF) violated the Line of Control (LoC). He tweeted "Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot," he tweeted, adding that no casualties have been reported so far. But the claim by Gafoor is not might be reliable. Pakistan might have tried to intercept IAF jets but failed since even Pakistan did not claim of shooting down any Indian jet.
Anticipating action by Indian armed forces after the terror attack in Pulwama, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leaders were moved to safer locations. Abdul Rouf Asghar, brother of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar and second in command of this terrorist outfit, is said to have been moved out to Punjab. Sources added that Maulana Masood Azhar was also moved from a JeM camp in Bahawalpur located in mosque.
Equipments concern
Mirage 2000 multirole fighter jet built by Dassault aviation, acquired in 1980s, predecessor to Rafale, take off for their course of action from air base near Gwalior.
Indian Air force used GBU-12 paveway laser guided bombs. The GBU-12 Paveway is an American aerial laser-guided bomb, based on the Mk 82 500-pound general-purpose bomb, but with the addition of a nose-mounted laser seeker and fins for guidance.
Matra magic close combat missile, for possible pak air force response during mission. Also known as R.550 Magic ("Backronym" for Missile Auto-Guidé Interception et Combat) is a short-range air-to-air missile designed in 1968 by French company Matra to compete with the American AIM-9 Sidewinder, and it was wisely made backwards compatible with the Sidewinder launch hardware.
Litening pod, a laser designator and targeting pod to acquire targets and guide precision bomb. The AN/AAQ-28(V) LITENING targeting pod is an advanced precision targeting pod system currently operational with a wide variety of aircraft worldwide. The research and development of the LITENING was first undertaken by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems' Missiles Division in Israel, with subsequent completion of LITENING I for use in the Israeli Air Force.
Reports suggest that during this operation, Netra AEW&C and Heron drones kept an eye on possible retaliation by the Pakistan Air Force jets.
Ilyushin - 78m flight refuelling aircraft to refuel jets for longer endurance. The Ilyushin Il-78 (NATO reporting name Midas) is a Soviet four-engined aerial refueling tanker based on the Il-76 strategic airlifter.
On Monday, a day before airstrikes General Bazwa COAS of Pakistan had said that his country's armed forces are "fully prepared" for a befitting response to "any Indian aggression or misadventure". And now Pakistan has maintained that there was no casualty or damage due to the attack. However, this is not the only jibe they've made at Indian media over 'Surgical Strike 2.0" Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that "better sense" should prevail in India after Indian jets crossed into Pakistan and carried out what one Indian minister called an airstrike on militant terror camps.
Whatever the Pakistani rulers have said, their reliability has been seen a major blow. Media reports that shame, shame’ slogans were raised against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in their Parliament. Opposition leaders demanded a joint parliamentary session in the wake of India's violation of the Line of Control (LoC). On this occasion, great apathy in Pakistan also being expressed in many ways. Its latest hunt is also the organization of Islamic countries. Ex Minister Khwaza Asif criticising the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for inviting Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj as a "guest of honour" at the inaugural session of the foreign ministers' conclave in Abu Dhabi next month, and said "Pakistan should boycott the OIC meeting." "It is an insult that our enemy is being invited as a guest of honour when Kashmiris are facing bloodshed,". Pakistan’s media however copied the official ISPR response but the fear is starting to appear in the atmosphere.