India strikes back: IAF enters deep into Pak territory, 350 JeM terrorists killed while sleeping

Indian Air Force on Tuesday carried out pre-dawn air strikes on terror camps across the Line of Control (LoC) in the Pakistani side, 12 days after Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group carried out the dastardly Pulwama attack in Kashmir. 

Government sources said the IAF jets pounded terror camps in Balakot, Muzaffarabad and Chakoti in the well-planned strike involving a fleet of Mirage 2000s and other jets.

"At 0330 hours on 26th February a group of Mirage 2000 Indian Fighter jets struck a major terrorist camp across the LoC and completely destroyed it. 1000 Kg bombs were dropped on terror camps across the LoC.  12 Mirage 2000 jets took part in the operation," IAF sources said. 

Sources said Pakistani F16s were scrambled to retaliate against IAF Mirage 2000s but turned back due to size of Indian formation, sources said. 

Terror launch pads in Balakot, Chakoti, Muzaffarabad and destroyed. Alpha-3 control rooms of Jaish-e--Mohammad Destroyed. Balakot is in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. 

India received intelligence that JeM had shifted many in-training terrorists and hardcore operatives, along with their trainers, to the Balakot camp, which has facilities for 500 to 700 people, and even has a swimming pool along with cooks and cleaners. 

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 as to where they were heading, the sources said. A small group of aircraft broke away from the swarm and headed to Balakot where "the sleeping terrorists were sitting ducks for the Indian bombing," said one source. 

"They had no idea that Balakot was to be the target ... when the pictures come in you will see only khandhar (ruins) of the once-flourishing camp", said the source.

The terror camp is located 20 kms from Balakot town.

Balakot is some 80 km from the Line of Control near Abbotabad where Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed in hiding by covert U.S. forces who had also sneaked into Pakistan to carry out the operation, catching the entire Pakistani military unawares.

Key Jaish-e-Mohammed operatives targeted in today’s air strikes: Maulana Ammar (L), associated with Afghanistan and Kashmir ops) and Maulana Talha Saif (R), brother of Maulana Masood Azhar and head of preparation wing.

Hundreds of Fidayeen and their trainers were shifted from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to a five-star, resort style camp in a hilltop forest in Balakot after the Pulwama attack, providing Indian forces with "a sitting duck target" when they carried out an air strike early Tuesday, killing up to 350 terrorists, sources said. 

Mufti Azhar Khan Kashmiri, head of Kashmir operations (L) and Ibrahim Azhar (R), the elder brother of Masood Azhar who was also involved in the IC-814 hijacking.

Sources said at least 325 terrorists and 25 to 27 trainers were at the camp, the biggest operated by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad group, which had claimed responsibility for the February 14 suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama, Kashmir that killed 40 jawans.

Sources in agencies inform that Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa had presented the airstrikes' plan few days after the Pulwama attack. The proposal was cleared by the government between February 17-18 Feb.

As per the proposal, Indian Army and IAF conducted airborne surveillance along the LoC with Heron drones for few days.

IAF and intelligence agencies shortlisted possible target sites to strike and it was cleared by NSA Ajit Doval on February 21-22.

IAF's two Mirage squadrons were designated 12 jets and the best pilots were assigned for the mission.

The 12 Mirage 2000s, armed with laser-guided bombs took off from Gwalior in batches along with an IAF Heron surveillance drone which took off from a secret airfield.

Mirage pilots conducted final checks on the targets and were cleared from the command centre to proceed. They dropped their payload of bombs between 3.43am and 4.04 am and returned safely. The NSA and PMO were informed officially about the completion of the mission.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the operation room at South block when the strike happened. 

Briefing the media, Foreign Secretary said credible intelligence was received that the JeM was planning to carry out other suicide attacks in India after the Pulwama bombing on a CRPF convoy 12 days ago that killed 40 jawans.

"In an intelligence led operation in the early hours of today, India struck the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot. In this operation, a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated. This facility at Balakot was headed by Maulana Yousuf Azhar alias Ustad Ghouri, the brother-in-law of JeM chief Masood Azhar," Gokhale said. 

In the face of imminent danger, a preventive strike became "absolutely necessary", he said.

"The Government of India is firmly and resolutely committed to taking all necessary measures to fight the menace of terrorism. Hence this non-military preemptive action was specifically targeted at the JeM camp. The selection of the target was also conditioned by our desire to avoid civilian casualties. The facility is located in thick forest on a hilltop far away from any civilian presence. As the strike has taken place only a short while ago, we are awaiting further details," he said.