Pakistan calls India strikes an ‘act of war,’ claims to have downed fighter jets
Pakistan has condemned the airstrikes launched by India as an “act of war,” with its military claiming to have shot down five Indian fighter jets in retaliation. The strikes targeted nine sites where terrorist attacks against India were allegedly planned, according to India’s Defense Ministry. Pakistan’s military reported that the missiles hit six locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in the eastern Punjab province, resulting in the deaths of at least 26 people, including women and children.
“Pakistan has every right to give a robust response to this act of war imposed by India, and a strong response is indeed being given,” declared Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors have escalated following an April attack in which gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Indian Hindu tourists, in the India-controlled portion of Kashmir. India has accused Pakistan of being behind the attack, which was claimed by a militant group known as Kashmir Resistance, allegedly linked to the disbanded Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Indian military officials stated that the airstrikes targeted “terrorist camps” serving as recruitment centers and weapon storage facilities for Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, another militant group. Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif, claimed that Pakistan’s air force shot down five Indian jets in retaliation.
The aftermath of the strikes saw three planes crashing into villages in India-controlled territory, leading to a heavy exchange of fire between the two sides. Additionally, at least seven civilians were killed in the region by Pakistani shelling. Debris from one of the planes was scattered across Wuyan village on the outskirts of Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar, causing damage to a school and a mosque.
India’s military referred to the airstrikes as part of “Operation Sindoor,” emphasizing that their actions were focused, measured, and non-escalatory. The Defense Ministry of India stated that no Pakistani military facilities were targeted during the operation.
In response to the escalating tensions, Pakistan’s National Security Committee convened for a meeting, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a special session of the Cabinet Committee on Security. Modi also postponed his planned official trip to Norway, Croatia, and the Netherlands, scheduled to commence next week.
The situation between India and Pakistan remains volatile, with both countries on high alert following the recent military actions. The international community is closely monitoring the developments in the region as efforts are made to de-escalate the conflict and prevent further escalation of hostilities.
