India on Wednesday attacked Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir with no fewer than eight deaths reported.
Pakistan described the assault as a “blatant act of war”; as the worst fighting in more than two decades erupted between the nuclear-armed enemies.
After an almost 80-year-old territorial dispute over Kashmir, India’s offensive came in the wake of an attack by Islamist assailants that killed at least 26 Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir last month.
India had accused Pakistan-based militants of being responsible, but Pakistan denied involvement.
India, while calling its campaign “Operation Sindoor”;, said it struck nine Pakistani sites on Wednesday that were “terrorist infrastructure”; where attacks against it were orchestrated.
According to Islamabad, six Pakistani locations were targeted. Indian forces reportedly attacked the headquarters of Islamist militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
“India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution,”; a statement from India said.
Responding, Pakistan said India hit three sites with missiles, and a military spokesman said his country shot down five Indian aircraft, a claim not confirmed by India.
The countries’ armies also reportedly exchanged intense shelling and heavy gunfire across much of their de facto border in the Himalayan region of Kashmir.
The Pakistani foreign ministry said in an unprovoked and blatant act of war, Indian fighter jets remained in Indian airspace but violated Pakistan’s sovereignty using standoff weapons, targeting the civilian population.
DAILY POST reports that since a 2003 ceasefire, to which both countries recommitted in 2021, targeted strikes between the neighbours are extremely rare, especially Indian strikes on Pakistani areas outside Pakistani Kashmir.
After the explosions on Wednesday, Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir, is said to have lost power.
A Pakistani military spokesman said there were 35 people injured and two missing in addition to the eight killed.
