Several militants, Pak Army jawans killed in attacks
Surgical strikes across Mendhar, Nowshera, Leepa Valley, Kel
Para commandos carry out 4 hr long operations, return safely
Contingency Plan in place for LoC, IB migrants
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 29: For the first time since 1971 war, Indian Army crossed Line of Control (LoC) and carried out surgical strikes in four sectors inside Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) targeting terrorist camps and launching pads inflicting “significant casualties’’ on the militants and Pakistan Army in the operation carried out by Para Commandos of Special Forces in wee hours of this morning.
The surgical strikes on terrorist camps and launching pads came within 11 days of militant attack on Uri camp in Baramulla in which 18 Army soldiers were killed and there had been public opinion that Narendra Modi Government should now teach hostile neighbour, Pakistan, a lesson, a demand the Government fulfilled by giving full powers to the Army to destroy the terror camps, from where the militants had repeatedly been infiltrating into the Indian territory and targeting defence installations and civilians.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Para Commandos from 4 and 9 Units of the Army, which were part of Special Forces and highly trained to carry out surgical strikes, were airlifted from Northern Command Headquarters of Udhampur and dropped at four places on the LoC. They were airlifted to the LoC using MI-17 helicopters and then trekked 500 meters to 3 kilometers to target seven launching pads-cum terrorist camps at four sectors inside PoK including Hot Spring Point in Mendhar in Poonch district, Bhimber in Nowshera sector of Rajouri, Leepa Valley in Kupwara and Kel sector in Baramulla.
The Para Commandos had been divided into smaller groups before they were airlifted and given the target.
Sources said seven launch pads or temporary bases used by militants located between 500 meters to three kilometers across the LoC in PoK were targeted by the Para Commands after a week of surveillance by the troops in the operation that started at 12.30 am and lasted for four hours.
“All Para Commandos returned safely to their bases at four places, from where they had been launched, after successfully conducting the surgical strikes, destroying seven terror camps and inflicting ‘significant casualties’ of militants and Pakistan Army,’’ sources said.
The neat and swift action of Indian Army’s Special Forces can be well gauged from the fact that not even a single Para Commando was killed or injured in the surgical strikes despite the fact that they stayed across the LoC for nearly four hours, destroyed terror camps-cum-launch pads and, during the process, also encountered Pakistan Army, which was present inside some of the camps while at other places, they tried to protect the terrorists after being taken by surprise by sudden surgical strikes by the Indian troops.
The Army had picked up its targets for the surgical strikes after carrying out 24X7 surveillance of the terrorist launch pads. The strikes were based on “very specific and credible information that some terrorist units had positioned themselves … with an aim to carry out infiltration and terrorist strikes”, sources said, adding that the Special Forces teams involved in the operation had been rehearsing their assault plan for more than a week.
Though, Army declined to disclose exact figure of casualties inflicted on the militants and Pakistani troops using the word “significant casualties’’, sources said at least 35 to 40 militants might have been killed in the operation while number of Pakistan Army fatalities was stated to be 9 dead and around dozen injured.
According to sources, Pakistan Army was present at some of the launching pads while it confronted the Indian Special Forces when they were eliminating militants inside launching pads and camps, which led to their (Pakistan Army’s) casualties.
Highly placed sources said the strikes were conducted in two sectors opposite twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu region and two sectors Baramulla and Kupwara in the Kashmir valley in terrain that included hills, forests and mountains. “Full surprise was achieved, so there were no Indian casualties,” they said.
The Para Commandos, who conducted the strike were well versed with the routes, the exact locations of the terror camps and Army posts in the four sectors—Bhimber, Hot Spring Point, Kel and Leepa Valley, where they could be confronted. They were equipped with very sophisticated weapons.
Of seven terrorist launch pads, targeted over a significant area, each had 20-odd terrorists. These pads had been under surveillance for about a week.
Sources said there were “massive casualties of terrorists, their guides and handlers’’ but the exact number couldn’t be calculated. In any case, they added, the minimum casualties of militants were between 35 to 40 and that of Pakistan Army around 9-10 dead and an equal number injured.
Sources say India has evidence of damage inflicted, possibly video footage, which will be released when appropriate.
“Our Special Forces have gone deep in and come back before sunrise,” sources said. Pakistan responded with “speculative fire”, against no specific target as it was completely caught unaware of Indian Army’s action of launch pads-cum-camps and the forces supporting them. Sources asserted that the Indian Special Forces had no intentions to target Pakistan Army but since some of the jawans were present inside the launch pads while others tried to save the terrorists from the Para Commandos, they were caught in the firing and were killed.
“A combination of ground forces and helicopter-borne Para Commandos were involved in the strikes,’’ sources said.
According to sources, these terrorists were planning major attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and in metros and, therefore, were killed in pre-emptive surgical strikes, which were widely seen as revenge of Uri attack in which 18 Army soldiers had been killed by four fidayeens.
The strikes were directly monitored by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag from New Delhi and top Army Commanders in Northern Command and the Corps under their jurisdiction.
The announcement of the strikes that came 11 days after the attack by Pakistan-based terror outfit JeM on an Indian Army camp in Uri in Kashmir over which Modi had said the attackers will not go “unpunished” and that they will not be forgiven and the sacrifice of 18 jawans will not go in vain. The announcement was made by DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh.
After the Uri terror attack, the NDA Government faced intense pressure for a strong response against Pakistan.
Unconfirmed reports said around 40 terrorists were present in the seven launch pads and they may have been killed. However, there was no official word on it.
Sources said heavy guns were used in the operation which was carried out by Army’s para commandos. They said thermal imagers and high-masked lights were used during the operations to smash 7 terror launchpads.
Three divisions of the Army were involved in the strikes and the launch pads which were close to the LoC were chosen after the intelligence reports suggested that militants had gathered for infiltrating into India, the sources said.
Sources said four launch pads in Leepa valley opposite Kupwara were barely 300 metres from the LoC and the Army troops destroyed them using heavy fire.
The back up from Pakistani Army for these launch pads attacked during the surgical strikes was at a distance and the terrorists present at these camps were taken by surprise, sources added.
Army and BSF have been maintaining high alert on LoC and IB in entire J&K to thwart any possible retaliatory strike by Pakistani troops.
“A very high alert is being maintained on LoC and IB”, sources said, adding troops would retaliate to any mischief by Pakistan very effectively.
Earlier, addressing a press conference, Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said India carried out ‘surgical strike’ on terror launch pads across the LoC, inflicting “significant casualties” on terrorists and those who are trying to support them.
He said “based on very credible and specific information which we received yesterday that some terrorist teams had positioned themselves at launch pads along the Line of Control with an aim to carry out infiltration and terrorist strikes in Jammu & Kashmir and in various other metros in our country, the Indian army conducted surgical strikes last night at these launch pads.”
The announcement of the strikes by the Indian Army was made soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).
The DGMO said he had spoken to the Pakistani Director General of Military Operations and explained India’s concerns and also shared with him details of the operation.
“It is India’s intention to maintain peace and tranquility in the region, but we can certainly not allow the terrorists to operate across the Line of Control with impunity and attack the citizens of our country.
“In line with Pakistan’s commitment made in January 2004 not to allow its soil or territory under its control for any terrorist activities against India, we expect the Pakistani Army to cooperate with us with a view to erase this menace of terrorism from our region,” he said.
The DGMO said the operation has ceased.
“We have no intentions to carry out any further strikes immediately but our troops are ready to meet with any kind of eventuality or retaliation,’’ he said.
This was for the first time since 1971 war with Pakistan that India has crossed LoC with Pakistan to carry out surgical strikes against the militants. In 1999 Kargil war, India had eliminated Pakistan Army regulars within its territory.
Meanwhile, in anticipation of any kind of retaliation by frustrated Pakistan Army and Rangers, the Government has asked Army and Rangers to evacuate civilians living along LoC and International Border (IB) in five districts of Jammu region including Rajouri and Poonch, falling on LoC and Jammu, Samba and Kathua on the IB.
Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh told the Excelsior after presiding over high level security review meeting here, which was attended by top brass of Army, BSF, CRPF, police and civil administration, that Contingency Plan has been put in place for the people living in the border areas.
Dr Singh said entire Government accommodation i.e. schools and college buildings, religious places, community halls, Panchayat Ghars etc have been kept at disposal of civil administration to accommodate the people shifting from the border villages.
Dr Singh, who spoke to Deputy Commissioners of all five districts in the meeting, or through video conferencing, said they have ordered closure of schools in the limits of border areas to avoid any casualties. He added that the Deputy Commissioners and other civil officers have been asked to identify all available accommodation for the border migrants, if they choose to shift.
“The border dwellers, who didn’t migrate, have been asked not to venture out of their houses early in the morning or late in the night,’’ the Deputy Chief Minister said.
According to sources, at a number of places on the International Border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua, the people from the border villages have shifted to safer locations including houses of their relatives or accommodation made available by the civil administration. Along the LoC also, some people have shifted to safer locations as there was panic among them about possible retaliatory action by Pakistan.
An official order issued by District Magistrate, Jammu, Dr Simrandeep Singh said the schools falling in Educational Zones of Khour, Jourian, March, RS Pura (including Suchetgarh), Satwari (only Mandal, Makwal, Lalyal), Akhnoor, Bishnah and Miran Sahib will remain closed till further orders.
PTI adds :- Indian Army today rejected as “false and baseless” reports in a section of Pakistani media that eight Indian soldiers were killed and one captured by Pakistani military in retaliatory fire.
Indian Army sources said, “As regard (to the) report of killing of eight Indian Army personnel reported in sections of Pakistan media, the report is completely false and baseless.”
Army’s reaction came after Dawn News reported that Pakistani military has claimed that it has killed eight Indian soldiers and captured one while retaliating to India’s firing at the first line of defence at the Line of Control (LoC) at Tatta Pani.
Interestingly, the report in Dawn News that claimed that eight Indian soldiers were killed was taken off from its website in the night.
Earlier, Dawn paper had also reported that an Indian soldier had been captured and was identified as 22-year-old Chandu Babulal Chohan son of Bashan Chohan from Maharashtra.
Indian Army sources, however, said, “one soldier from 37 RR with weapon has inadvertently crossed over to the other side of the Line of Control. Pakistan has been informed by the DGMO on the hotline.”
The sources said his crossing over was not related to the surgical strikes.
“Such inadvertent crossing by Army and civilians are not unusual on either side. They are returned through existing mechanisms,” they said.
A source in the Northern Command also indicated that Chohan was an Army deserter.
The Dawn report said he has been shifted to an undisclosed location.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
