Indian Jets Strike on Pakistani Side of Kashmir Line
Source: The New York Times
Indian warplanes conducted airstrikes in the Pakistan-controlled side of Kashmir on Tuesday, Pakistani officials said, in an escalation of tensions between the nuclear-armed nations after a suicide bombing against Indian troops in the disputed region this month.
If confirmed, it would be the first time that Indian aircraft had crossed the Kashmir Line of Control to strike in years. But it was unclear what, if anything, the attack jets hit on the Pakistani side, raising the possibility that India was making a calculated bet to assuage public anger but minimize the risk of a major Pakistani military response.
A spokesman for Pakistans armed forces, Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor, on Tuesday posted on Twitter four images of a forested area pockmarked with small craters and debris, which he said was the site of Indian airstrikes.
The Indian news media, quoting local military officials, said Indian Mirage 2000 fighter jets dropped bombs on a terrorist camp in Pakistan-controlled territory at 3:30 a.m. local time.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/25/world/asia/india-pakistan-kashmir-jets.html
A flashpoint brewing in an already conflict prone area.
rpannier
(24,304 posts)Unless you like carnage and mayhem
on edit:
Reading the BBC article, the Pakistanis do not appear to be ratcheting up hostility
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,483 posts)Link: https://pakobserver.net/
The Times of India......
Link: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
In today's world, that suicide bombing could have been financed, planned and executed by any number of foreign or domestic groups from around the globe.
Devil Child
(2,728 posts)Jaish-e-Mohammed is a construction and tool of the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence agency.
Thanks for the links!
muriel_volestrangler
(101,146 posts)The NYT has now put quote marks around "terrorist camps".
Looks like each side is doing and saying things mainly to save face.
nycbos
(6,032 posts)And they both sides have nukes.
Paging Dr. Strangelove.
Devil Child
(2,728 posts)In India, where election-year nationalism is fueling waves of anger over the militant attack in Kashmir that killed dozens of soldiers this month, the story line was of righteous vengeance accomplished.
snip...
In a statement, Indias foreign ministry claimed that airstrikes near Balakot in northern Pakistan had struck the biggest training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad, the group that claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing, killing a very large number of militants as they were planning another attack.
snip...
With India claiming to have avenged the Kashmir attack, and with Pakistan claiming that India had done no real damage, it seemed possible that the situation could yet be defused. Still, analysts cautioned that the crisis could erupt into something more serious if restraint failed on either side.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/26/world/asia/india-pakistan-kashmir-airstrikes.html
Follow up article by NYT on the attempted IAF airstrike.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,282 posts)Yes, it was in a part of Kashmir currently occupied by Pakistani forces, but it is not exactly "Pakistan".
So, an act of war? Or an act of stern disapproval?
War is not a necessary outcome, though it's still unpleasant for residents of the Kashmir area.
IronLionZion
(45,250 posts)Mr. Modi had to show some demonstrable action on Indias part, ahead of elections.
So just more tail wagging the dog to look tough on defense.