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| On 18 September, four militants ] at ] and killed 19 soldiers. On September 29, |
On 18 September, four militants ] at ] and killed 19 soldiers. On September 29, a '''military confrontation between India and Pakistan''' began. India claimed that it had conducted "]s" against militant bases along the Line of Control in ] (Pakistan-administered Kashmir) and killed 50 militants.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/uri-avenged-inside-story-indian-army-surgical-strikes-pok/1/776433.html | title=Surgical strikes in PoK: How Indian para commandos killed 50 terrorists, hit 7 camps | publisher=India Today | date=29 September 2016 | accessdate=1 October 2016 }}</ref> Pakistan stated that Indian troops had not crossed the Line of Control but had only engaged in skirmishing, resulting in the deaths of two Pakistani soldiers and wounding 9.<ref name="says_hits"/> Pakistan said it killed up to 8 Indian soldiers in the exchange, and captured one.<ref name="Haider2"/> India confirmed that one of its soldiers had been captured, but denied that any had been killed. It was noted that the details regarding the "attack" were still unclear.<ref name=BBC2/><ref name=NYT2>{{cite news|title=India Claims ‘Surgical Strikes’ in Pakistani-Controlled Kashmir|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/30/world/asia/kashmir-india-pakistan.html?_r=0}}</ref> The claimed raid marked the first time India had publicly acknowledged crossing the Line of Control.<ref name="evacuates">{{cite web|title=India evacuates 10,000 from border with Pakistan amid reprisal fears after Kashmir 'strikes' |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/30/india-evacuates-10000-from-border-with-pakistan-amid-reprisal-fe/|website=Daily Telegraph|accessdate=30 September 2016|date=30 September 2016}}</ref> Analysts said that anti-terrorist raids were conducted in the past but video footage from the raids was not made public.<ref></ref> | ||
| On October 1, India and Pakistan exchanged fire along the border in Kashmir. | |||
| It was noted that the details regarding the "attack" were still unclear.<ref name=BBC2/><ref name=NYT2>{{cite news|title=India Claims ‘Surgical Strikes’ in Pakistani-Controlled Kashmir|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/30/world/asia/kashmir-india-pakistan.html?_r=0}}</ref> The claimed raid marked the first time India had publicly acknowledged crossing the Line of Control.<ref name="evacuates">{{cite web|title=India evacuates 10,000 from border with Pakistan amid reprisal fears after Kashmir 'strikes' |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/30/india-evacuates-10000-from-border-with-pakistan-amid-reprisal-fe/|website=Daily Telegraph|accessdate=30 September 2016|date=30 September 2016}}</ref> | |||
| Analysts said that anti-terrorist raids were conducted in the past but video footage from the raids was not made public.<ref></ref> | |||
| ==Background and planning== | ==Background and planning== | ||
Revision as of 00:12, 2 October 2016
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| 2016 India–Pakistan military confrontation | |||||||
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| Part of Indo-Pakistani conflicts and Kashmir conflict | |||||||
 The Map of Line of Control | |||||||
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
.svg){kind=small} Pranab Mukherjee(President of India)  Gen. Dalbir Singh Suhag(Chief of Army Staff) Lt.Gen. Ranbir Singh(Director-General of Military Operations) Lt.Gen. D. S. Hooda(GOC-in-C, Northern Command)  Manohar Parrikar(Minister of Defence) |
 Mamnoon Hussain(President of Pakistan)  Gen. Raheel Sharif(Chief of Army Staff) Lt.Gen. Malik Zafar Iqbal(X Corps Commander)  Khawaja Muhammad Asif(Minister of Defence (Pakistan)) | ||||||
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 X Corps | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
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1-2 soldiers wounded (Indian claim) 8-14 soldiers killed, 1 soldier captured (Pakistani claim) |
35-70 terrorists killed (Indian claim) 2 soldiers killed, 9 wounded (Pakistan claim) | ||||||
| Indo-Pakistani conflicts | |
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| Kashmir conflict
Other conflicts Border skirmishes Strikes |
On 18 September, four militants attacked the Indian army at Uri and killed 19 soldiers. On September 29, a military confrontation between India and Pakistan began. India claimed that it had conducted "surgical strikes" against militant bases along the Line of Control in Azad Kashmir (Pakistan-administered Kashmir) and killed 50 militants. Pakistan stated that Indian troops had not crossed the Line of Control but had only engaged in skirmishing, resulting in the deaths of two Pakistani soldiers and wounding 9. Pakistan said it killed up to 8 Indian soldiers in the exchange, and captured one. India confirmed that one of its soldiers had been captured, but denied that any had been killed. It was noted that the details regarding the "attack" were still unclear. The claimed raid marked the first time India had publicly acknowledged crossing the Line of Control. Analysts said that anti-terrorist raids were conducted in the past but video footage from the raids was not made public.
On October 1, India and Pakistan exchanged fire along the border in Kashmir.
Background and planning
In the Uri attack on 18 September 2016, 19 Indian Army soldiers were killed when unknown militants attacked an army base near the town of Uri, in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. India accused Jaish-e-Muhammad, though no group claimed responsibility. The following day, Lieutenant-General Ranbir Singh, the Director-General of Military Operations, stated "The Indian Army has displayed considerable restraint while handling the terrorist situation both along the Line of Control and in hinterland...we have the desired capability to respond to such blatant acts of aggression and violence as deemed appropriate by us. We reserve the right to respond to any act of the adversary at the time and place of our own choosing.”.
According to a government source close to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security was held on 24 September, at which "broad details of targeting terrorists" were discussed. The specific details of the planned military raid were restricted to Prime Minister Modi, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and the Chief of the Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh.
"Surgical strike" claim
On 21 September 2016, there were uncofirmed reports from The Quint that elite soldiers of the Indian Army had crossed the LoC and conducted a raid in the early hours of 21 September.
Pakistan declared a no-fly zone over Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and therefore civilian flights scheduled to land in Gilgit, Skardu & Chitral on 21 September were cancelled the previous day.
On 29th September, eleven days after the Uri attack, the Indian army said it had conducted "surgical strikes" against suspected militants in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Indian Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said that it had received "very credible and specific information" about "terrorist teams" who were preparing to "carry out infiltration and conduct terrorist strikes inside Jammu and Kashmir and in various metros in other states". The Indian action was meant to pre-empt their infiltration. India presented its operation as preemptive self-defense against terrorism, striking against terrorist infrastructure along with "those who are trying to support them", which possibly included Pakistani soldiers or the elements of Pakistani state.
Ranbir Singh said that his Pakistani counterpart had been informed.
Pakistan denied that such surgical strikes occurred. The Inter-Services Public Relations said that there had only been "cross border fire". However, the Pakistan Prime Miniser Nawaz Sharif condemned the "unprovoked and naked aggression of Indian forces", which he said resulted in the death of two Pakistani soldiers.
Timeline
September 29
Indian officials said the strike targeted areas close to the Line of Control, where it believes militants congregate for their final briefings before sneaking across the LoC. An Indian security source said the operation began with Indian forces firing artillery across the frontier to provide cover for three to four teams of 70-80 commandos from 4 and 9 Para (Special Forces) to cross the LoC over at several separate points shortly after midnight IST on 29 September (1830 hours UTC 28 Sep). Teams from 4 Para SF crossed the LoC in the Nowgam sector of Kupwara district, with teams from 9 Para SF simultaneously crossing the LoC in Poonch district. By 2 a.m. IST, according to army sources, the special forces teams had travelled 1-3 km on foot, and had begun destroying the terrorist bases with hand-held grenade and 84 mm rocket launchers. The teams then swiftly returned to the Indian side of the Line of Control, suffering only one casualty, a soldier wounded after tripping a land mine.
Lieutenant-General Ranbir Singh said the surgical strikes had been based upon "specific and credible information that some terrorist units had positioned themselves ... with an aim to carry out infiltration and terrorist strikes". India later briefed opposition parties and foreign envoys, but did not disclose operational details.
Some Indian media claimed that the Indian army infiltrated 2–3 km into Pakistani territory, but the Indian army did not say whether its troops crossed the border or had simply fired across it. Later, Pakistani sources reported that up to fourteen Indian soldiers were killed in retaliatory firing and one was captured, Chandu Bablulal Chohan. An Indian Army source confirmed the capture of a soldier from 37 Rashtriya Rifles, but declined the reports by the Pakistani media about the killing of fourteen Indian soldiers in retaliatory firing by saying, "As regards the report of killing of eight Indian Army personnel reported in sections of Pakistan media, the report is completely false and baseless" and claimed the soldier who was captured had "inadvertently crossed over to the Pakistan side which is not unusual on either side."
October 1
India and Pakistan exchanged fire on October 1. Pakistan said its soldiers had come under fire in Bhimber and they responded to the attack. Indian media stated that Pakistan had started the firing.
Aftermath
Indian intelligence sources claimed that, immediately after the raid, the Pakistan military had buried the corpses of the slain terrorists to erase any evidence and to maintain Pakistan's version of a "skirmish" along the Line of Control. Increased firing along the Line of Control was reported the following day.
Analysis
Defence experts in Pakistan explained the tactical implausibility of Indian forces breaching the heavily armed and fenced LoC border undetected, performing operations at multiple sites over several hours, and returning without casualties and military resistance. According to one source, the Indian narrative matched a "fantastic movie script" created for public consumption. Ejaz Awan dismissed Indian claims of paratrooper involvement, stating: "For pulling out these troops, you need helicopters on the ground." Shawn Snow in The Diplomat questioned the capability of Indian forces to conduct a sophisticated and coordinated attack of such nature. He noted that a cross-border raid was "exceedingly difficult" as Pakistan had highly equipped air defense systems installed along the Indian border, including surface to air missiles.
Reactions
India
Across India, the military raid was widely praised. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi said Prime Minister Modi had, for the first time in his tenure, "taken an action that is worthy of the status of a Prime Minister. Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal also praised the raid..
Following the military raid, in anticipation of cross-border shelling from Pakistan, Indian authorities evacuated 10,000 residents of villages located within ten kilometers of the border, in the states of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. Military surveillance was also stepped up along the Line of Control.
Pakistan
Pakistan rejected the claim of a surgical strike, stating that Indian troops had only engaged in firing upon Pakistani soldiers, killing two Pakistani soldiers and wounding nine. Pakistan called the attack "unprovoked" and termed it "naked aggression", and warned India that Pakistan would respond "militarily" to such an attack. ISPR spokesman Asim Bajwa termed the "surgical strike" claim an "illusion being deliberately generated by India to create false effects" and a "fabrication of the truth".
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif convened an all-parties conference and an emergency cabinet meeting. He stated Pakistan would take any steps necessary to safeguard its territorial integrity. "We will defend our homeland against any aggression. The entire nation is standing shoulder to shoulder with our armed forces."
In a public address in Faisalabad, Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Hafiz Muhammad Saeed threatened a "befitting response" to India from Pakistan. "We will tell you what is a real surgical strike...and you will get the deserved response soon...the United States will not be able to help you. Now it is Pakistan’s turn to give a befitting response to India. Narendra Modi will now know what is meant by surgical strikes."
Other states
Afghanistan - Shaida Abdali, Afghanistan's ambassador to India, expressed support for the military raids by India, stating the actions in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir had been conducted in "self-defence." He added his hopes that "no one will allow safe havens for terrorists to be used against neighbours."
Bangladesh - Iqbal Chowdhury, the advisor to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, stated India had the "legal, internationally accepted right" to take action. "Bangladesh always believes that any aggression or attack on the sovereignty of the independence and legal right of a country is not acceptable and Bangladesh always feels that any country must honour and respect the sovereignty of a third country."
China - Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Sheung stated that China, "as a shared neighbour and friend to both India and Pakistan," was concerned about the "continuous confrontation and tensions" between the two nations. He said China called on "all relevant parties to exercise restraint and refrain from actions that would escalate tension," and expressed hopes that both parties would address their differences through dialogue.
Russia - The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concern over "aggravation" of the situation along the Line of Control, and stated it expected Pakistan to take "effective" steps in stopping the activities of terrorist groups operating from its territory. "We are calling on the parties not to allow any escalation of tension and to settle the existing problems by political and diplomatic means through negotiations. We stand for decisive struggle against terrorism in all its manifestations."
United States – White House spokesman Josh Earnest encouraged continued talks between India and Pakistan, to avoid further escalating the situation.
Supranational organisations
United Nations – Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, stated the Secretary-General was following the developments "with great concern," adding that the United Nations "calls on the governments of India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, and encourages them to continue the effort to resolve their differences peacefully and through dialogue."
See also
References
- ^ "India says hits Pakistan-based militants, escalating tensions". Reuters. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- ^ "Inside the strike: Choppers on standby, 70-80 soldiers". The Indian Express. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
- ^ Haider, Abrar (29 September 2016). "Pakistan captures one Indian soldier, eight killed at LoC overnight". Dawn. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
- "14 Indian soldiers killed in clashes with Pakistan Army". The News. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- ^ Ratheesh, Renu (30 September 2016). "Uri Pay Back: Pakistan buries dead terrorists, leaving no evidence for India's Surgical Strike". India LiveToday. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- "Uri avenged: 35-40 terrorists, 9 Pakistani soldiers killed in Indian surgical strikes". 29 September 2016.
- "Surgical strikes in PoK: How Indian para commandos killed 50 terrorists, hit 7 camps". India Today. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
- ^ "Kashmir attack: India 'launches strikes against militants'". BBC News. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- "India Claims 'Surgical Strikes' in Pakistani-Controlled Kashmir".
- ^ "India evacuates 10,000 from border with Pakistan amid reprisal fears after Kashmir 'strikes'". Daily Telegraph. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- "We will respond at time, place of our choosing: Army on Uri attack". The Hindu. 19 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- "Surgical Strike was sealed, delivered, kept under wraps until CCS meet". The Indian Express. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
- * Chandan Nandy, Exclusive: Uri Avenged As Spl Forces Cross LoC, Kill 20 Terrorists, The Quint, 21 September 2016.
- PIA cancels flights to Northern areas due to air space restrictions, The Express Tribune, 21 September 2016.
- After Uri, ‘Rumours’ of Attack By India Bring Stocks Down in Pak, The Quint, 22 September 2016.
- Ellen Barry; Salman Masood (29 September 2016), "India Claims 'Surgical Strikes' in Pakistani-Controlled Kashmir", The New York Times, retrieved 1 October 2016
- ^ Ankit Panda (29 September 2016), "Indian Forces Cross Line of Control to Carry Out 'Surgical Strikes': First Takeaways", The Diplomat, retrieved 1 October 2016
- Annie Gowen; Shaiq Hussain (29 September 2016), "India claims 'surgical strikes' against militants in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir", The Washington Post, retrieved 1 October 2016
- ^ Abbas, Syed Sammer (29 September 2016). "Army rubbishes Indian 'surgical strikes' claim as two Pakistani soldiers killed at LoC". Dawn. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- "Indian Army Says Soldier In Pak Custody Was Not Captured During Surgical Strikes". NDTV.com. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- "India-Pakistan Conflict Live Update: Gunfire Exchange Continues Across LoC, Nuclear-Armed Nations Accuse Each Other Of Provocation".
- "The morning after Army's surgical strike: Firing along LoC". Indian Express. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
- ^ "Cross-border raid: Strategic analysts laugh off Indian claim". The Express Tribune. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
- Snow, Shawn (30 September 2016). "Is India Capable of a Surgical Strike in Pakistan Controlled Kashmir?". The Diplomat. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
- "Political parties firmly back Modi govt over army's surgical strikes". Hindustan Times. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- "India claims striking suspected rebels in Pakistan".
- Khan, Sanaullah (30 September 2016). "Nawaz calls APC, NAP and National Security committee meetings". Dawn. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- "Pak's turn to respond, will teach India what a surgical strike is: JuD chief". Hindustan Times. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- "Indian surgical strikes were act of self-defence: Afghanistan". The Statesman. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- "India has right to respond to attack on sovereignty:Bangladesh". The Statesman. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- "China calls on India, Pakistan to exercise restraint". The Indian Express. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
- "Russia asks Pakistan to take steps to contain terror groups". Hindustan Times. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- "Following situation with great concern: UN on rising India-Pak tensions at LoC". Hindustan Times. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
| Kashmir conflict | |
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| Border skirmishes | |
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