New Delhi: The government on Tuesday announced it carried out ‘non-military’ action against terrorist camps in Pakistan, nearly a fortnight after Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) claimed responsibility for a deadly suicide attack in J&K’s Pulwama.
In a press briefing, foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said they had received credible intelligence that the “JeM was attempting another suicide terror attack in various parts of the country, and fidayeen jihadis were being trained for the purpose”.
“In the face of imminent danger, a preemptive strike became absolutely necessary,” Gokhale added.
A non-military preemptive strike is when no military installations are targeted and there are no civilian casualties, said sources in the Indian Air Force.
Former Indian Army commander and defence expert General Ata Hasnain told ThePrint that such non-military preemptive action, in which no Pakistan military facility has been attacked, was done keeping in the United Nations in mind.
“It is the most appropriate response from the spectrum of choice that India had. It puts the onus of escalation squarely on Pakistan and allows India the freedom to continue placing diplomatic pressure on Pakistan without embarrassing the international community,” said General Hasnain.
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Gokhale said this non-military preemptive action was specifically targeted at the JeM camp as a measure to fight terrorism.
“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,” he added.
The strikes come at a time when India is looking at enlisting Jaish chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist under the UN 1267 sanctions committee.
(With inputs from Snehesh Alex Philips)
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