Army strikes Pakistan posts across LoC

BACKING THE army’s strategy, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said the govt supported the action to counter terrorism in the Valley for ensuring peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

Eight months after the surgical strikes on terror-launch pads, the Indian Army on Tuesday said it damaged several Pakistani military posts with heavy artillery firing in a “very recent” punitive assault along LoC in Jammu and Kashmir as part of its pre-emptive and pro-active strategy to curb cross-border militant incursion.

The army also released an undated video that showed some military posts in a forested area being bombed with heavy artillery fire, and smoke and flames billowing after the explosions.

The Pakistan Army, however, dismissed the claim of the assault along the LoC in the Naushera border sector of Rajouri district.

Backing the army’s strategy, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said the government supported the action to counter terrorism in the valley “to ensure peace in Jammu and Kashmir”.

“The Army is taking preemptive and measured actions to counter terrorism in the valley and disengage Pakistan (military) posts across the LoC supporting terrorism.”

The operation was to give “a befitting reply to the Pakistan military which aids infiltration into the Indian side”, Army spokesperson Maj. Gen. Ashok Narula said.

“The Pakistan Army has been providing support to armed infiltrators by engaging our forward troops from their weapons emplacements and pill-boxes closer to the Line of Control,” the official said.

“A recent action by our troops in Naushera sector has caused damage to Pakistan Army posts. This is part of our overall strategy to counter terrorism.”