India bombs terror camps across LoC in Pakistani side

In a pre-dawn strike, combat jets of Indian Air Force bombed terror camps on Tuesday at multiple locations across the Line of Control in the Pakistani side, 12 days after Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group carried out the dastardly Pulwama attack in Kashmir, government sources said.

They said the IAF's Mirage 2000 fighter jets pounded the terror camps in Balakot, Muzaffarabad and Chakoti in the well-planned strike destroying Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the operation. 

Hours later, Prime Minister Modi chaired a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security which was attended by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Sitharaman.

The sources said significant damage has been inflicted ground on the Pakistani side. A source indicated that the operation was carried out between 3:50 AM and 4:05 AM. India had put all IAF bases in the western sector on maximum alert after the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

After the Pulwama attack, Modi announced that the armed forces have been given full freedom to respond to the strike. The reports of the IAF operation was first revealed by Pakistan's Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations, Major-General Asif Ghafoor in a series of tweets.

"Indian aircraft intruded from Muzafarabad sector. Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot. No casualties or damage," Ghafoor tweeted.

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#SurgicalStrike2 | भारत ने लिया #Pulwana का बदला, सुनिए #IndianAirForce के जवाबी हमले पर डिफेंस एक्सपर्ट जी जे सिंह की प्रतिक्रिया।#IndianAirForce #Mirage2000 #LineofControl #IndiaStrikesBack #AirStrike @AnilSinghviZEE pic.twitter.com/6fs7VDnyhT

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"Indian Air Force violated Line of Control Pakistan. Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled. Indian aircraft went back," he said. The Ministry of External Affairs announced that Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale will brief the media at 11:30 AM.