INDIAN ARMY CARRIES OUT SURGICAL STRIKES TARGETING LAUNCH PADS ACROSS THE LINE OF CONTROL

New Delhi: India has carried out surgical strikes targeting “launch pads” for terrorists across the Line of Control (LoC), the Army said on Thursday. The strike was carried out on Wednesday night, senior military and diplomatic sources said at a hurriedly called media briefing at the Ministry of External Affairs.

“Based on very specific and credible information which we received yesterday that some terrorist teams had positioned itself along the line of control, the Army carried out surgical strikes last night at these launch pads. The operations were focused to ensure that these terrorists do not succeed in endangering lives of citizens in our country. During the counter-terrorist operations, significant casualties have been caused to the terrorists and those who were trying to support them. The operations have since ceased,” Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen Ranbir Singh said.

The attack comes in the wake of the September 18 terror strike in Uri that claimed the lives of 18 Indian soldiers.

The DGMO pointed out that during the investigation of the terror attack, the proof of involvement of Pakistani elements was clearly discovered.

India tried to solve the situation from the Uri attack at the diplomatic level but did not receive an adequate response, he said. Earlier on Thursday morning, Army officials briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the security situation, at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security. A meeting the Prime Minister due to hold on reviewing the Most Favored Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan was postponed to next week, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

In a statement on its website, the DG-Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) of the Pakistani Army said that there was a major exchange of fire overnight, in which two Pakistani Rangers were killed. “Pakistani troops befittingly responded to Indian unprovoked firing in Bhimber, Hotspring, Kel and Lipa sectors which started at 0230 and continued till 0800,” the Pakistani military spokesperson claimed.

(Bureau Report)