The successful airstrikes carried out by the Air Force under the codename "Operation Bandar" will be remembered tomorrow on its fourth anniversary. Twelve days after a suicide bomber struck a convoy of cars transporting CRPF troops in the Pulwama area of Jammu & Kashmir, India launched these airstrikes in the early hours of February 26, 2019.

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This was the first time an Indian aircraft has conducted such an operation over the border since the Indo-Pak War of 1971. 40 members of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were martyred on February 14 in Pulwama during an attack planned by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

The largest JeM terror training facility was targeted by the Indian Air Force at Balakot as retribution. As counter-attack, the entire squad of IAF Mirage 2000 fighter jets entered the Pakistan-India boundary.

Why was it called "Operation Bandar"?

Operation Bandar (monkey) was the code name for the entire operation that involved firing the airstrikes and successfully returning to Indian land. To maintain confidentiality and prevent the airstrike intentions from being revealed, the moniker was chosen.

Although the name's origins are unknown, numerous sources claimed that monkeys have always maintained a prominent role in Indian warfare tradition. The operation was compared to this legendary tale of Ramayana where IAF planes infiltrated Pakistani territory and destroyed the terrorist camps.

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How were the airstrikes in Balakot carried out?

In Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) region, the town of Balakot is located in the Manshera district. It is 50 kilometers from Abbottabad, where US soldiers executed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, and has been on the radar of American forces for a very long time.

On February 26, twelve Mirages flew off from various airfields, entered Pakistani territory, and attacked the JeM terror center. Four of the five Spice 2000 bombs fired by IAF aircraft managed to reach the ceilings of the building where the terrorists were resting.

The strikes were conducted at 3:30 in the morning, and after the IAF jets had finished bombing their objectives, they had come back to their bases. As Su-30MKI combat aircraft and Mirage 2000 bombers were employed to deliver explosives on specific targets, a group of other Mirages blocked Pakistani air force jets from creating any trouble or initiating a counter-attack

The native Airborne Early Warning and Control systems (AEW&C) aircraft Netra provided assistance throughout the entire mission. The selected sites were hit with five Israeli-made Spice 2000 bombs that had armour piercing warheads that enabled them to penetrate the rooftops before detonating inside to do the most damage.

A crew from the IAF's commando outfit, Garud, was also maintained on call in case any actions were necessary owing to an emergency there.

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What happened after the strikes?

The Pakistani Air Force (PAF) retaliated the following day with an attack in the Rajouri sector of Jammu. In the ensuing aerial engagement, India was reported to have smacked down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet while losing a MIG-21 Bison, whose pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was arrested after being compelled to land over Pakistani territory.

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman chased and damaged the F-16 fighter jet from Pakistan. His jet was also brought down during the gallant effort, and Pakistan captured him. Subsequently, on March 1, Pakistan was compelled to free Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. He received the Vir Chakra for valour during combat.