Terror resort at Balakot flattened; entire operation over in 21 minutes; dumping 1000 kg bombs took less than two minutes; large number of terrorists and trainers killed; among dead is Masood Azhar’s brother-in-law
Balakot: Twelve days after a suicide bomber killed 40 CRPF troopers, India, at break of dawn, flattened the Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest training camp at Balakot, killing “a very large number” of terrorists and their trainers. This is the first time IAF fighter jets have entered Pakistan’s airspace since 1971. Within hours, Islamabad threatened a “befitting response” and indicated that its nuclear watchdog would be holding a key meeting.
The Acting Foreign Secretary also summoned the Indian Acting High Commissioner and strongly condemned the Indian violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi spoke to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and apprised him about the Line of Control “violation.”
The three service chiefs met PM Modi and apprised him about the preparedness to deal with any possible retaliatory action. Separately, the three chiefs met National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and discussed the eventualities. The Ministry of External Affairs described the operation in a carefully worded statement as “non-military, pre-emptive air strikes” across the Line of Control.
Hours after India confirmed the strikes, a euphoric PM Modi said at a rally in Churu: “I assure you, the country is in safe hands.” The targeted strike lasted less than two minutes: 12 Mirage 2000 jets, recently upgraded at HAL, took part in the operation.
They pounded multiple terror hubs with 1,000 kg of laser guided-bombs, killing terrorists and trainers who were moved to Balakot for their protection after the Pulwama terror attack on February 14. Sources put the number of deaths at 300, though Pakistan denies any casualties.
The Balakot hub was described as a five-star resort in a hilltop forest that provided Indian forces with a “sitting duck target” and they caught the terrorists in their sleep. During the operation, there was constant airborne surveillance by Heron drones along the Line of Control.
Also Read: Fighter jets destroy terror camps across PoK by dropping 1,000 kg bombs: IAF Sources
The only government statement on the unprecedented strike came from foreign affairs secretary Vijay Gokhale, who said the camp was located in Balakot but did not elaborate further. He, however, told the media that the “intelligence-led operation” became “absolutely necessary” as JeM was planning more suicide attacks.
In a synchronised operation, fighter and other aircraft took off from several air bases in Western and Central commands at about the same time, leaving Pakistani defence officials confused about where they were heading. A small group of aircraft broke away from the swarm and headed to Balakot.
The entire operation, it is learnt, was over in 20 minutes, starting at 3.45 am and ending at 4.05 am. The actual bombing took less than two minutes. While the Pakistani military claimed the area hit by India was close to the Line of Control, Reuters described Balakot as a town in a remote valley in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
There is also Balakote — as different from Balakot — in the Pakistani-administered Kashmir. “This facility at Balakot was headed by Maulana Yusuf Azhar (alias Ustad Ghouri), the brother-in-law of (JeM leader) Masood Azhar.” Pakistan admitted that the IAF planes struck Balakot but claimed that they returned when it scrambled its war planes and that there were no losses on the ground.
HOW IT HAPPENED FIRST TIME SINCE 1971
This was the first time since 1971 that the IAF breached the Line of Control. Even during the Kargil war, the IAF had not done so.
HAL’S UPGRADES
12 Mirage 2000 jets, recently upgraded at HAL, took part in the operation. They dropped 1,000-kg laser-guided bombs to destroy at least six terrorist terror camps inside PoK and Balakot.
DRONE SURVEILLANCE
There was airborne surveillance by Heron drones along the Line of Control
PAK SCRAMBLED JETS
The aircraft crossed over at 3 am, even as Pakistani armed forces were on high alert. When PAF realised their folly, it scrambled its jets but the formation was not easy to tackle. By the time, more aircraft took off from Abbottabad, the operation was over and Indian jets had safely returned home.
JUST 90 SECONDS
The Balakot bombing took just about 90 seconds and the entire operation was over in 21 minutes. Government sources estimate the number of terrorists killed between 200 and 300.
BROTHER-IN-LAW DEAD
Yousuf Azhar, one of the hijackers of IC-814, may be one of those killed. He is brother-in-law of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.
NON-MILITARY STRIKE
India said it was not a revenge attack but a pre-emptive strike led by intelligence inputs and was ‘non-military’ in nature.
