Surgical strike: Army kills 38 terrorists across LoC, Pak in denial
Follow live updates here: Amidst heightened tension with Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to review the situation along the LoC.
In response to the recent Uri attack that killed 18 soldiers, the Indian Army on Wednesday night conducted surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) on terror launch pads, said Director General of Military Operations (DGMO).
Addressing a joint press conference with External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup on Thursday, DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said, "Indian Army conducted surgical strikes on terror launch pads on the LoC. Heavy damages have been caused to terrorists and many of them have been killed."
Adding that India had also shared details of the surgical strikes with Pakistan Army and expected them to cooperate in the fight against terror, he said, "The motive of this operation was to hit out at the terrorists who were planning to infiltrate into our territory."
Going into details about the strike, Singh said that there were no Indian casualties during strikes, adding, "Indian armed forces are ready for any contingency, but no plans as of now for further operations," DGMO said.
"We can't allow terrorists to operate across the LoC, there has been a surge in infiltration. It has been a matter of serious concern that there have been many infiltration bids by terrorists at LoC. Despite our persistent urging to Pakistan to not allow territory under its control to not be used for terrorist activities nothing was done," DGMO Singh said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday also chaired a cabinet committee meeting on security on the situation along Line on Control.
The meeting took place after Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire twice along the LoC in last 24 hours.
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Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reviewed the defence preparedness, holding talks with army chief Raheel Sharif and other top aides after India carried out surgical strikes against terror bases across the LoC.
Sharif and Raheel had a telephonic conversation during which they discussed situation at the Line of Control (LoC), The News reported, citing sources.
Raheel apprised the premier over the firing incidents at the LoC, the sources said, adding that the army chief told him that Indian claims of surgical strikes were "baseless".
Sharif told the army chief that the entire nation had high morale and was committed to defend the motherland along with the armed forces.
The Prime Minister was also briefed on the LoC situation by National Security Advisor (NSA) General Nasir Janjua after Indian Army carried out 5-6 surgical strikes against terror bases across the LoC.
The NSA has submitted a comprehensive report on the LoC situation to Sharif, Radio Pakistan reported.
It added the Prime Minister is also briefed regularly on the situation on the LOC by the security institutions.
Sharif has shown satisfaction on the level of preparedness of Pakistani armed forces to match any "provocation" by Indian security forces, the report said.
Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has dismissed as "fabrication of truth" India's claim that it conducted a military operation across the LoC, terming it as a "quest" by India to create media hype by rebranding cross- border fire as surgical strike.
"There has been no surgical strike by India, instead there had been cross border fire initiated and conducted by India which is existential phenomenon," it said.
Live Blog
Follow live updates here: Amidst heightened tension with Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to review the situation along the LoC.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today reviewed Pakistan's defence preparedness, holding talks with army chief Raheel Sharif and other top aides after India carried out surgical strikes against terror bases across the LoC.
Sharif reviews LoC situation after India's surgical strikes Islamabad, Sep 29 (PTI) Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today reviewed Pakistan's defence preparedness, holding talks with army chief Raheel Sharif and other top aides after India carried out surgical strikes against terror bases across the LoC. Sharif and Raheel had a telephonic conversation during which they discussed situation at the Line of Control (LoC), local media reported. Raheel apprised the premier over the firing incidents at the LoC, the reports said, adding the army chief told him that Indian claims of surgical strikes were "baseless". Sharif told the army chief that the entire nation had high morale and was committed to defend the motherland along with the armed forces. The Prime Minister has convened a cabinet meeting tomorrow, his office said in a statement.
People living within 10 kms of the border with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab have been asked to shift to safer places and schools ordered to be shut till further notice in the wake of surgical strike carried out by the Indian Army across the LoC.
People living within 10 kms of the border with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab have been asked to shift to safer places and schools ordered to be shut till further notice in the wake of surgical strike carried out by the Indian Army across the Line of Control (LoC). The 'Beating Retreat' ceremony at Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar in Punjab has also been closed for public today, officials said. "We have asked border villagers living along IB and LoC to shift to safer area as a precautionery measure," Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Simrandeep Singh told PTI.
Ghulam Nabi Azad of Congress congratulated the forces for being successful in the operation and ensured government Congress's support in fight against terrorism.
All party meeting at North block comes to an end.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh briefed leaders of major political parties on the situation in the wake of Army's surgical strike targeting terror launch pads across the Line of Control.
Singh chaired the hurriedly called all-party meet after DGMO Lt Gen Ranveer Singh announced that surgical strike on terror launch pads were conducted last night.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and NSA Ajit Doval were present at the meet attended by BJP chief Amit Shah, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, Union Minister and LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan and NCP leader Sharad Pawar among others
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu, BSP's Satish Mishra and RJD's Prem Chand Gupta also attended the meet. Principal Secretary to PM Nripendra Singh was also present.
Earlier, the Home Minister had informed Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Odisha, Punjab, Bihar and other states about the strikes.
Congress hailed the surgical strikes carried out by Army against terror bases across the the Line of Control (LoC), declaring that it stood completely behind the armed forces. "We congratulate the Indian army for undertaking surgical strikes on terror launch pads. We stand completely behind our Armed Forces," Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress President, tweeted.
Though DGMO did not give details of how the strike had been carried out, sources told our sister channel WION news that the strikes were carried out on eight different terrorist hideouts and 38 terrorists were killed in under one hour. They also said that special forces had been paradropped onto the hideouts.
These operations are a part of the mandate of the Indian Army to foil any attempts of infiltration into our soil: Venkaiah Naidu on surgical strikes
Villages in Punjab which are 10KM from International Border with Pakistan are being evacuated, additional BSF troops move in.
Government calls an all party meeting at 4pm today after Indian Army conducts surgical strikes in Pak territory.
Pakistan's ISPR denies Surgical strike
The notion of surgical strike linked to alleged terrorists bases is an illusion being deliberately generated by Indian to create false effects.This quest by Indian establishment to create media hype by rebranding cross border fire as surgical strike is fabrication of truth. Pakistan has made it clear that if there is a surgical strike on Pakistani soil, same will be strongly responded.
Indian army Special Forces operation on terror launch pads lasted from 12:30 am to 4:30 am, location was 500 meters to 2 km across LOC.
BSE Sensex tanks 573 points as Indian Army reports surgical strikes at Pak terror launch pads
Nawaz Sharif on Surgical Strikes:
"We are ready for the safety and defence of our country. We condemn this attack, our desire for peace should not be interpreted as our weakness," reports ANI quoting Pakistani media.
Indian offensive carried out in Bhimber, Hotspring, Kel & Lipa sectors, on Pak's side of LoC: Pakistan's Inter Services Public Relations.
PM informed President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President and former Prime Minister Mahmohan Singh on surgical strikes: PMO
#WATCH: DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh says "Indian Army conducted surgical strikes on terror launch pads on the LoC last night" pic.twitter.com/UXjVEvyLwF
— ANI (@ANI_news) September 29, 2016
Director General of Military Operation and MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup adresses media
# It is a matter of concern that infiltration on LoC are increasing. This has reflected in the terror attacks in Poonch and Uri on 11th and 18th September. At least 20 infiltration attempts foiled by Army.
# Global positioning systems with Pakistani marking.
# Captured terrorists have confirmed of hailing from Pakistan.
# Matter has been taken at high level regular time. We had also proposed that the fingerprint of the terrorists would also be made available to them. Despite our persistent urging to Pakistan to not allow territory under its control to not be used for terrorist activities nothing was done.
# Indian Army conducted surgical strikes on terror launch pads on the LoC, significant casualties have been caused. I spoke to the Pakistan DGMO, shared our concerns and told him that we conducted surgical strikes last night.
# The motive of this operation was to hit out at the terrorists who were planning to infiltrate into our territory