Army pounds terror camps and Pak posts along LOC

NEW DELHI: In a significant counter-offensive after Pakistan’s unprovoked firing, the Indian Army on Sunday carried out massive artillery strikes targeting four terror launch pads and several Pakistani military positions in Neelam Valley in Pakistan-occupied -Kashmir, killing six Pakistani soldiers and reportedly eliminating a sizeable number of terrorists, government sources said.

The Indian retaliation came a day after Pakistan military resorted to unprovoked firing in Tangadhar sector along the Line of Control in which two Indian Army personnel and a civilian were killed. Three others were also injured in the attack, the sources said.

They said the four terror launch pads in Neelam valley, opposite to the Tangdhar sector of Jammu and Kashmir had been totally smashed in the artillery fire by the Indian Army and that 10-15 terrorists were staying in each of the facilities at the time of the attack, the most significant offensive since India carried out the Balakot strike in February.

A highly-placed source, meanwhile, said at least 20 terrorists were killed in the Indian artillery fire, adding the figure may be quite high.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat following the Indian offensive, and he has been keeping an eye on the evolving situation along the LOC, government sources said.

Spokesperson of Pakistan Military Major General Asif Ghafoor, in a series of tweets, said a total five Pakistani civilians were killed in the Indian strikes. Ghafoor also claimed that nine Indian soldiers killed and Pakistan Army destroyed two Indian bunkers.

A senior Indian Army official rejected Ghafoor’s allegations and claim. In a statement, the Indian Army said Pakistani Army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violations to assist infiltration by terrorists into Indian territories in the Tangadhar sector Saturday evening.