Pakistan Claims Indian Aircraft Downings Amid Tension Flare-up
India's military actions branded as an "act of war" by Pakistan, who also asserted that they successfully shot down Indian fighter aircraft.
In an unexpected turn of events, Pakistan has announced the downing of multiple Indian fighter jets following India's airstrikes. (Credit: APTN)
Pakistan views India's airstrikes as an "act of war," asserting that they have successfully countered the offensive by shooting down five Indian aircraft in retaliation, according to Pakistani military authorities.
The targets of India's strikes were said to be approximately nine sites from where "terrorist attacks" against India were allegedly planned, as per India's Defense Ministry. The Pakistan military reported that missiles hit six locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in the country's eastern Punjab province, resulting in at least 26 fatalities, including women and children.
"Pakistan holds the right to respond powerfully to this aggression from India, and a strong response is underway," declares Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Recent tensions between the neighboring countries have escalated significantly after a violent attack in April, where gunmen killed 26 people, most of whom were Indian Hindu tourists, in the India-controlled portion of Kashmir. India accuses Pakistan of being behind the attack, which was claimed by a militant group known as Kashmir Resistance, which India alleges has links to the disbanded Pakistani militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba.
*INDIA LAUNCHES STRIKES AGAINST TERRORIST CAMPS IN PAKISTAN*
Remnants of aircraft litter the ground in Wuyan, a village in India-administered Kashmir's Pulwama district, following Pakistan's alleged downing of Indian aircraft. (Reuters/Sharafat Ali/TPX Images of the Day)
Indian military officials have stated that their forces targeted "terrorist camps" serving as recruitment centers and weapon storage facilities for Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, another Islamist militant group.
Indian sources have reported that the country is actively working towards de-escalation following the strikes. "The trigger was the terrorist attack. We had the right to respond, and we have. Now, whatever Pakistan chooses to do is up to them," the official source said.
communications with U.S. officials have been reportedly swift and seamless, with the source noting overwhelming backing from the Administration, Senators, and Members of Congress. The source mentioned more than 40 senators expressing condemnation over the April 22 terror attacks, and 118 members of Congress doing the same.
Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif, Pakistan's military spokesperson, confirmed that the country's air force successfully downed five Indian aircraft in response. The Indian source, however, refrained from commenting on those claims, stating that India is still assessing the situation.
Preliminary reports indicate that three planes fell onto villages in India-controlled territory and that there was a fierce exchange of fire between the parties. At least seven civilians are also reported to have been killed in the region due to alleged Pakistani shelling, according to Indian police and medics.
Debris from one plane was scattered across Wuyan village, located on the outskirts of Kashmir's main city of Srinagar, including in a school and a mosque compound, as reported by police and residents.
"There was a tremendous fire in the sky. Then we heard several explosions," Wuyan resident Mohammed Yousuf told the AP.
*PAKISTAN THREATENS 'NUCLEAR FLASHPOINT,' SEEKS U.S. INTERVENTION AMID RISING TENSIONS WITH INDIA OVER KASHMIR*
Damage at the Bilal Mosque in Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, following Indian strikes. (Reuters/Akhtar Somroo)
Historically, the India-Pakistan border conflicts have been characterized by escalating tensions, particularly since the 2019 airstrikes. This ongoing dispute stemmed from the partition of British India in 1947 and the disputed territory of Kashmir that remains a contentious issue between the two nations.
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- The downing of Indian aircraft by Pakistan in response to airstrikes has escalated the war-and-conflicts between the two nations, specifically in light of the Pakistan-administered Kashmir region, a contentious issue that has long been a part of politics.
- In the aftermath of the United States' communications with Indian military officials, over 118 members of Congress have expressed their condemnation of the April 22 terrorist attacks, with more than 40 senators voicing similar sentiments in the general news.
- Following the downing of Indian aircraft by Pakistan and the Pakistani threats of a nuclear flashpoint, the Indians have launched strikes against terrorist camps in Punjab, targeting recruitment centers and weapon storage facilities for groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
4.Somroo's photograph of the damaged Bilal Mosque in Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, serves as a stark reminder of the longstanding political tensions and recent airstrikes in this disputed territory.
