JAMMU: The Indian troops on Monday targeted Pakistan Army’s administrative headquarters across the Line of Control (LoC) to avenge the recent shelling on its camps in the border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The Army action was successful. It was a good strike,” a senior officer told TNIE and claimed that Pakistani troops suffered casualties in the strike.
The shelling took place in the Khuiratta and Samani areas of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The officer said the Army’s action was in retaliation to the shelling on its camps at Poonch and Jhallas on October 23. The shelling had caused fire in an unused barrack in one of the camps, though no casualties had taken place.
The officer said the targeting of administrative headquarters had sent a strong message to the Pakistan Army that its “nefarious actions” would be given a befitting response.
The Army released pictures and video of the Pakistan military’s headquarters being hit by the shell fire and going up in flames. Residents of border villages also reported that they saw smoke emanating from across the LoC, the officer said.
He said the Army had exercised maximum restraint in spite of continuous provocation by the Pakistan Army and had avoided targeting civilian population in towns close to Line of Control such as Hajira, Bandi Gopalpur, Nikial, Samani and Khuiratta.
The officer further disclosed that heavy casualties had been inflicted on the Pakistan Army, with over 200 soldiers being killed, in India’s retaliatory action at the LoC since 2017.
“In the proactive and precise targeting by Indian Army, over 138 Pakistan soldiers were killed in 2017. About 70 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the Indian Army’s action at the Line of Control till May this year. The retaliatory action forced the Pakistan Army to request for a ceasefire in the face of mounting casualties,” he said.