Surgical Strike 2.0: India Too Confirms

Surgical Strike 2.0: Twelve Indian Force Mirage-2000 jets crossed the Line of Control (LoC) early on Tuesday morning and destroyed terror camps of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot. The air strike, which has been dubbed Surgical Strikes 2.0, comes two weeks after a terror attack on CRPF soldiers in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir.

In a surprise to Pakistani security forces, the Indian Air Force reportedly dropped around 1,000 kg bombs on Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps. Pakistan army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor confirmed that that the Indian Air Force (IAF) violated the Line of Control (LoC). "Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot," he tweeted, adding that no casualties have been reported so far

Foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale confirmed the air strike and said a large number of JeM terrorists, trainers and senior commanders were eliminated in largest JeM camp in Balakot. The camp was led by Maulana Yusuf Azhar alias Ustad Ghauri, brother-in-law of JeM Chief Masood Azhar. The government said the camp was located on a hilltop, deep in a forest, and far away from any civilian presence.

Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj has invited Opposition leaders for a briefing on the air strike in Pakistan. The meeting is scheduled at 5 pm at Jawahar Bhawan.