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Two Pakistani soldiers killed in 'surgical' Indian strikes in Kashmir India says troops crossed Kashmir border as crisis escalates
(about 2 hours later)
Two Pakistani soldiers have been killed in the contested territory of Kashmir after India launched what it described as “surgical strikes” against “terrorists … waiting to infiltrate the nation”. India says it has launched “surgical strikes” targeting Pakistan-based terrorists in the contested territory of Kashmir, in a major escalation of a deepening crisis between the nuclear armed rivals.
The multiple nighttime strikes across the line of control (LOC) that divides the Himalayan region marked a major escalation of a deepening crisis between the nuclear armed rivals. The army said troops conducted multiple nighttime raids across the line of control (LOC) – the ceasefire line agreed in 1972 that divides the Himalayan region – which hit Pakistani-based militants preparing to cross into Indian-controlled territory.
Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, India’s director-general of military operations, said the attacks were against militants preparing to cross the LOC, a ceasefire line agreed in 1972, into Indian-controlled territory and had resulted in “significant casualties … to terrorists and those trying to shield them”. It was the first time the Indian army has publicly acknowledged cross-border raids by its troops. Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, India’s director general of military operations, said there were “significant casualties … to terrorists and those trying to shield them”.
“There were launchpads across the line of control where terrorists were present waiting to infiltrate the nation and attack areas in Kashmir and metros across the country,” Singh said. Pakistan said two of its soldiers had been killed and nine injured in Indian shelling, strongly disputing the Indian account of what happened. “The notion of a surgical strike linked to alleged terrorists’ bases is an illusion being deliberately generated by India to create false effects,” the army said in a statement. Pakistani troops had responded to unprovoked firing from India, it added.
He said militants captured in the operation had “confessed to their training in Pakistan or in Pakistan-controlled region”. No Indian troops were killed and there were no “plans for further continuation of operations”, he added. The Pakistani prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, condemned the “unprovoked and naked aggression of Indian forces”.
Quoting army sources, the Indian news agency ANI reported that Indian special forces were parachuted into five sites between 500 metres and 2km across the ceasefire line. The operations reportedly commenced just after midnight and lasted about four hours. Senior Indian government sources said special forces had crossed on foot into Pakistan-controlled territory to strike up to eight hideouts used by militants to shelter before they cross into Indian-administered territory.
Pakistan’s army announced the “martyrdom” of two of its soldiers during five and half hours of fighting. “Pakistani troops befittingly responded to Indian unprovoked firing” on four sections of the line of control, an army statement said. Intelligence in the past days had shown large numbers of people leaving training facilities to prepare to cross over, sources said. No Indian troops were killed in the operation and no further attacks are planned, they said.
A statement issued later in the day denied Indian claims its troops had crossed the border into Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. The violence follows at least nine clashes in two months between security forces in Kashmir and militants from across the ceasefire line. Violent protests and a homegrown insurgency has also raged in the disputed region since July, leading to more than 80 civilian deaths.
“There has been no surgical strike by India, instead there had been cross-border fire initiated and conducted by India, which is [an] existential phenomenon,” it said. “As per rules of engagement same was strongly and befittingly responded by Pakistani troops.” Indian officials said incursions across the LOC, trending downward in the past five years, had surged since the beginning of the summer’s unrest. People were crossing over in teams of four and showing evidence of military training, they said.
It called the announcement of surgical strikes “an illusion being deliberately generated by Indian to create false effects”. “This quest by Indian establishment to create media hype by rebranding cross border fire as surgical strike is fabrication of truth. Pakistan has made it clear that if there is a surgical strike on Pakistani soil, same will be strongly responded,” the statement said.
Wednesday’s raids are the first military response to an attack on 18 September by militants on an Indian army outpost in Uri, close to the ceasefire border that divides Kashmir, a Himalayan territory claimed and fought over by both countries since 1947.Wednesday’s raids are the first military response to an attack on 18 September by militants on an Indian army outpost in Uri, close to the ceasefire border that divides Kashmir, a Himalayan territory claimed and fought over by both countries since 1947.
The Uri attack, which India has blamed on Pakistan-sponsored militants, killed 19 soldiers and provoked calls for India to drop its policy of so-called strategic restraint against its neighbour.The Uri attack, which India has blamed on Pakistan-sponsored militants, killed 19 soldiers and provoked calls for India to drop its policy of so-called strategic restraint against its neighbour.
India has launched a diplomatic offensive in the aftermath of the attack, denouncing Pakistan at the UN as the host of the “Ivy League of terrorism” and voicing support for separatists in Balochistan, a restive Pakistani province.India has launched a diplomatic offensive in the aftermath of the attack, denouncing Pakistan at the UN as the host of the “Ivy League of terrorism” and voicing support for separatists in Balochistan, a restive Pakistani province.
Islamabad says India has provided no evidence the attack was the work of Pakistan-based militants or the country’s intelligence agencies, which have long been accused of links to anti-India jihadi groups.Islamabad says India has provided no evidence the attack was the work of Pakistan-based militants or the country’s intelligence agencies, which have long been accused of links to anti-India jihadi groups.
Zahid Hussain, a Pakistani security analyst, described the attacks as a “very serious escalation”. “We have seen firing on the line of control before but this is much more dangerous in the context of the rising tension between the two sides,” he said. “I am not saying that this could lead to a full state confrontation but this is how things start to get out of control.” Zahid Hussain, a Pakistani security analyst, describedThursday’s attacks as a “very serious escalation”. “We have seen firing on the line of control before but this is much more dangerous in the context of the rising tension between the two sides,” he said. “I am not saying that this could lead to a full state confrontation but this is how things start to get out of control.”
India last announced it had conducted cross-border strikes in June 2015 against rebel camps in Myanmar, in response to an ambush that killed at least 18 Indian soldiers in the north-eastern state of Manipur. The Indian government described the raid as unprecedented at the time and signalled similar tactics could be used along its western border with Pakistan. India last announced it had conducted cross-border strikes in June 2015, against rebel camps in Myanmar, in response to an ambush that killed at least 18 Indian soldiers in the north-eastern state of Manipur. The Indian government described the raid as unprecedented at the time and signalled similar tactics could be used along its western border with Pakistan.
On Wednesday, in a sign of deepening Pakistani isolation in the region, India and three other countries announced they were boycotting the forthcoming South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit, which was scheduled to be held in Islamabad in November.On Wednesday, in a sign of deepening Pakistani isolation in the region, India and three other countries announced they were boycotting the forthcoming South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit, which was scheduled to be held in Islamabad in November.
The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, has also raised the possibility New Delhi could alter or walk away from a major river-sharing agreement that permits Pakistan to draw water from three rivers that flow downstream from India, providing water to 65% of the country’s landmass.The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, has also raised the possibility New Delhi could alter or walk away from a major river-sharing agreement that permits Pakistan to draw water from three rivers that flow downstream from India, providing water to 65% of the country’s landmass.