In a decisive response to the brutal killing of 26 tourists in the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, India conducted a joint operation involving the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army, code-named ‘Operation Sindoor’. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced the retaliatory action on Wednesday, stating that the strikes targeted terrorist hideouts within Pakistan during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. The operation aimed to ensure the restoration of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir following the heinous attack.
Addressing the media, Misri detailed the barbarity of the Pahalgam attack, where victims were predominantly executed with close-range headshots in front of their families. He emphasized that the manner of the killings was deliberately intended to inflict profound trauma on the bereaved and to propagate a message of fear. Furthermore, Misri highlighted that the attack was orchestrated with the malicious intent of igniting communal discord both within Jammu and Kashmir and across the nation. He commended the government and the people of India for their resilience in thwarting these divisive aims.
Subsequent intelligence revealed that Pakistan-based terror outfits were planning further attacks on Indian soil. Misri asserted that this intelligence necessitated a proactive and preemptive response to deter future threats and dismantle the terrorists’ infrastructure. He characterized India’s actions as “measured and non-escalatory, proportionate and responsible,” with a clear focus on neutralizing terrorist capabilities.
The Resistance Force (TRF), an affiliate of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam massacre. Investigations into the attack, according to Misri, have successfully traced the communication networks of the terrorists back to Pakistan. He pointed to the TRF’s claims and their subsequent amplification by known Lashkar-e-Taiba social media accounts as self-incriminating evidence. Moreover, law enforcement agencies have made significant progress in identifying the attackers based on eyewitness accounts and other available information, enabling intelligence agencies to develop a comprehensive understanding of the attack’s planners and backers.
In a highly confidential operation, Indian forces executed strikes against nine terror camps belonging to Hizb-ul-Mujahidin (HM), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) located in both Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The targeted locations included Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur (JeM), Markaz Taiba in Muridke (LeT), Sarjal in Tehra Kalan (JeM), Mehmoona Joya in Sialkot (HM), Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala (LeT), Markaz Abbas in Kotli (JeM), Maskar Raheel Shahid in Kotli (HM), Shawai Nalla Camp in Muzaffarabad (LeT), and Syedna Bilal Camp in Muzaffarabad (JeM). This decisive action underscores India’s commitment to safeguarding its citizens and countering cross-border terrorism.