In what is being seen as a fitting reply to Pakistan and terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad the neighbouring country has been nurturing, the Indian Air Force carried out airstrikes on Jaish’s biggest camp in Balakot across the Line of Control (LoC). Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said the airstrikes were pre-emptive and the largest JeM training camp was struck by the Indian Air Force.
“At 0330 hours on 26th February a group of Mirage 2000 Indian Fighter jets struck a major terrorist camp across the LoC and completely destroyed it,” news agency ANI tweeted quoting IAF sources.
“IAF destroyed Balakot, Chakoti, Mujhafarabaad terror launch pads and also destroyed Alpha-3 control rooms of Jaish-e-Mohammed. 12 Mirage 2000 jets took part in the operation that dropped 1000 Kg bombs on terror camps across LoC, completely destroying it,” PIB stated in a tweet.
Reports said around 200-300 terror operatives have been killed but no official confirmation on the number of casualty has come from the Government.
“India struck biggest training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Balakot; a very large number of terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and fidayeen jihadis were eliminated,” Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said.
“Large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders were eliminated in largest JeM camp in Balakot. Camp was led by Maulana Yusuf Azhar alias Ustad Ghauri, brother in law of JeM Chief Masood Azhar,” Gokhale added.
The Indian Foreign Secretary said the Government had credible intelligence that Jaish-e-Mohammed was attempting another suicide terror attack in various parts of the country & fidayeen jihadis were being trained for this purpose.
The IAF jets reportedly dropped 1,000 kg bombs on the Jaish terror camps across the Line of Control (LoC) in the pre-dawn strike. Pakistan army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor also confirmed the developments that sent the entire government and military establishment in a tizzy.
