Pakistan's military said on Tuesday that Indian military aircraft crossed into its territory in the disputed Kashmir region and "released a payload" after Pakistan scrambled its own jets, but there was no casualties or damage.
The confrontation follows escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals since the Feb 14 suicide bombing in Kashmir, when 40 Indian paramilitary police were killed by a militant group. New Delhi blamed Islamabad, which denies having a role in the attack.
Indian aircrafts intruded from Muzafarabad sector," Pakistani military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said on Twitter early on Tuesday.
Payload of hastily escaping Indian aircrafts fell in open. pic.twitter.com/8drYtNGMsm
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) 26 February 2019
Ghafoor said "facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force", the Indian aircraft "released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot. No casualties or damage."
Indian aircrafts intruded from Muzafarabad sector. Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot. No casualties or damage.
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) 26 February 2019
Balakot, a town in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan, is about 50 km (31 miles) from the Line of Control (LoC), which acts as a de facto border between the two countries that have fought three wars since their independence from British colonial rule in 1947.
India's defence ministry said it had no information about Pakistan's claims.
Shelling across the Kashmiri Line of Control has frequently occurred over the last few years, while tensions between the neighbours have been simmering, but airspace violations are rare.
In 2016, following another large attack on Indian security forces in Kashmir, New Delhi said its troops crossed the LoC and carried out a "surgical strike" on suspected militant camps across the border in Pakistan Kashmir. Islamabad denied anything serious occurred.
Share This Post
