NEW DELHI: Operation Sindoor once again demonstrated the Indian armed forces’ professional mettle by successfully executing precision strikes on the terrorist infrastructure without hitting any civil or military establishments.
These calibrated and calculated strikes were conducted despite Pakistan forces indiscriminately targeting India’s military and civil structures. It serves as a reminder of the 1999 Kargil conflict with Pakistan when the Indian Army and the Air Force refrained from crossing the Line of Control (LoC) despite provocations.
The specific hits achieved under the operations were led by intelligence information on the camps and infrastructure. A total of 21 terrorist camps of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were identified, of which nine were selected as targets hit by the missiles and artillery munitions.
The ‘Operation Sindoor’, aimed at hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, from where terrorist attacks against India were planned and directed. Of the 21 locations, nine (9) sites were targeted. Indian forces attacked Pakistan and PoK at 21 locations: Sawai Nalla, Syed Na Bilal, Maskar-E-Aqsa, Chelabandi, Abdullah Bin Masood, Dulai, Garhi Habibullah, Batrasi, Balakot, Oghi, Boi, Sensa, Gulpur, Kotli, Barali, Dungi, Barnala, Mehmoona Joya, Sarjal, Muridke, Bahawalpur. Meanwhile, the nine sites destroyed were:
Sarjal/Tehra Kalan facility, Jaish-e-Mohammad Shakargarh, District Narowal: This is the main launching site of JeM for infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir. This facility is located inside the premises of a primary health centre in Tehra Kalan village of Sarjal to conceal its real purpose. Sarjal camp in Sialkot lies 6 km inside Pakistan.
It’s the camp where those terrorists involved in the killing of four Jammu and Kashmir police personnel received their training. Mehmoona Joya camp of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM): It is 12-18 km inside Pakistan near Kotli Bhutta Government Hospital in the Head Marala area of Sialkot district of Punjab. The terror backers, Pakistan ISI, have facilitated the setting up of such launch facilities along the IB and LoC in government buildings to hide or conceal terror infrastructure. It’s one of the biggest camps of Hizbul Mujahideen.
Markaz Taiba: Established in 2000, it is Let’s ‘alma mater’ and the most important training centre, located in Nangal Sahdan, Muridke, Sheikhupura, Punjab, Pakistan. Muridke is where terrorists Ajmal Kasab and David Headley, who were involved in the 2008 Mumbai Terrorist attacks, received their training. Markaz Subhan Allah, Jaish-e-Mohammad Bahawalpur, Punjab: This markaz serves as the operational headquarters of JeM and is associated with terrorist planning, including Pulwama attack on February 14, 2019. Perpetrators of the Pulwama attack were trained at this camp.
Sawai Nala Camp: This is one of the most important Let training camps in Muzaffarabad. It has been functional since the early 2000s and is used to recruit, register, and train Let cadres. Markaz Syedna Bilal: Syedna Bilal Masjid is the main centre of JeM in PoJK, located opposite Red Fort, Muzaffarabad. This facility is used as a transit camp for JeM terrorists prior to their launching into J&K. At any point in time 50-100 cadres reside in this facility.
Maskar Raheel Shahid, Hizbul-Mujahideen Kotli, PoJK: Located at approximately 2.5 km from Mahuli Puli in Kotli District, the PoJK, Maskar Rahil Shahid is one of the oldest facilities of the HM. It is a secluded facility and accessible only via a kutcha track. Markaz Ahle Hadith Barnala Lashkar-e-Taiba Bhimber, PoJK: Is one of the important Markaz of LeT in PoJK and is used for infiltration of LeT terrorists and arms into Poonch-Rajouri-Reasi sector. Markaz Ahle Hadith Kotli, is located 9 km and 13 km from LoC, respectively, were targeted by the Indian Armed Forces as a part of Operation Sindoor.