Army chief says 6-10 Pakistani soldiers killed, 3 terror camps destroyed in counter-attack

Equal number of terrorists were killed too, infiltration attempt was made in Tangdhar sector, Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat says in Delhi.

Late Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat | ANI File Photo

New Delhi: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat Sunday confirmed that the Indian Army carried out artillery attacks across the Line of Control in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and successfully destroyed at least three terrorist camps, killing six to 10 Pakistani soldiers and almost an equal number of terrorists. 

He said the attacks were retaliatory in nature.  

Damage to a fourth terror camp is being assessed, Rawat said while speaking to the media on the sidelines of the final polo match of the Cavalry Gold Cup, 2019 in New Delhi. 

The Army chief said the retaliation was mainly to prevent any infiltration bid from across the border given that the Army had been getting repeated inputs of infiltration of terrorists from across the border to disturb peace and harmony in the state, which he said was returning to normalcy. 

Of late, he said, there were inputs of terrorists coming close to camps in forward areas and making infiltration attempts from Gurez, Tangdhar, Uri, and Macchil sectors and even in areas south of Pir Panjal. 

‘Had definitive information about terror camps’

With Diwali around the corner, Rawat said, the Army had definitive information that some terror camps north of Pir Panjal were active and that terrorists had arrived in these areas and were likely to infiltrate.

Rawat spoke about an infiltration attempt made in Tangdhar sector Saturday evening, to facilitate which Pakistan carried out firing at the Indian posts in which two Indian soldiers and a civilian died. 

“Before they could push in terrorists, it was decided we target terror camps across the border. Therefore, the camps were targeted… we had coordinates of where these camps have emerged,” he said.

“In the retaliatory action that our forces have taken, we have caused severe damage to terrorists infrastructure across. Terrorists camps opposite Tangdhar and Keran sectors have been destroyed,” he said. 

He said camps in PoK’s Athmuqam, Jura Kundalshahi, and Leepa valley have also been identified. 

Talking about Pakistan’s support to them, he said six to 10 Pakistani soldiers and a similar number of terrorists have been killed in the camps that have been decimated, “as per information currently available”.

Rawat’s ‘advice’ to Pakistan: ‘Pay heed to FATF’

According to unconfirmed reports, the Army chief said, casualties to terrorists could be more. 

“We have not been able to pick up mobile communication from across which indicates there has been damage, which Pakistan doesn’t want to highlight, because the world will know that there is no action being taken by them to curtail terrorism.” 

Rawat added that because of the extent of damage caused to them, Pakistan military could try and avenge the Indian action. 

“Any action they attempt, the reaction they will get from us will be far more superior from what they have experienced so far,” he said, adding that the advice to Pakistan would to pay heed to the advice of FATF, and not provide any support to terrorists across and cause disruption and violence on the Indian side of the LoC in Kashmir valley or anywhere else.

Rawat said there are also inputs that the International Border across Kashmir is being used for infiltration and there have been drones flying from across the border carrying weapons and explosives, which shows Pakistan’s desperation in pushing terrorists inside Indian territory. 

“Our retaliation was to prevent infiltration because we felt areas other than Tangdhar are also being activated,” he said. 

He said an infiltration bid was foiled in Machhil sector three days ago from where the Army had recovered rucksacks and other equipment and a similar bid recently took place in Gurez too.

With the first snowfall taking place, Rawat said, Pakistan was trying to push in maximum terrorists because heavy snowfall in the days to come would make infiltration difficult. 

He also said the political leadership was abreast with the latest information on the attacks.