|
Army rubbishes Indian 'surgical strikes' claim as two Pakistani soldiers killed at LoC
 [DAWN] At least two Pakistain Army soldiers were killed as Indian troops fired across the Line of Control in Azad Jammu and Kashmire, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday. The Pak military confirmed the deaths of its soldiers yet dismissed the Indian claim of 'surgical strikes'."There had been cross border fire initiated and conducted by India which is [an] existential phenomenon," said an ISPR statement released shortly after the Indian Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) held a presser making claims about surgical strikes. India strikes, Pakistain responds An exchange of fire between Pak and Indian LoC troops began at 2:30am and continued till 8:00am in the Bhimber, Hotspring, Kel and Lipa sectors in Azad Jammu and Kashmire, the ISPR statement said. "Pak troops befittingly responded to Indian unprovoked firing on the LoC." Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said nine soldiers were maimed during the incident, and added that small firearms were used to respond in a "befitting manner". Shortly after the exchange of fire, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Defence held a joint presser in New Delhi in which DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh alleged that surgical strikes were conducted by the Indian army on "terror launch pads along the LoC". The strikes will not continue, he said. The Indian DGMO claimed that "some terrorist teams had positioned themselves at launchpads along the Line of Control". "The Indian army conducted surgical strikes last night at these launchpads. Significant casualties have been caused to these forces of Evil and those who are trying to support them... The operations aimed at neutralising the forces of Evil have since ceased." Sources quoted by Indian media alleged that Indian para commandos went 2-3 kilometres into AJK in Mi-17 choppers and destroyed six 'terror camps', killing at least 38 suspected forces of Evil along with Pakistain Army troops. Singh said the decision to launch the strikes had been taken after the military determined the launchpads had been set up with "an aim to carry out infiltration and terrorist strikes in Jammu and Kashmire and various other metros in our country." An Indian military source said the operation was carried out on the Pak side of the Line of Control where there were between five and seven infiltration "launchpads". "It was a shallow strike. The operation began at around midnight and it was over before sunrise," this source, who had been briefed by his superiors on the operation, said. "All our men are back. Significant casualties inflicted. Damage assessment still going on." Posted by: Fred 2016-09-30 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=468934 |