‘Strikes non-escalatory, precise, and responsible step’
New Delhi, May 07: In a decisive and calculated response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 civilian lives on April 22, the Indian Armed Forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ in the early hours of Wednesday, targeting nine key terrorist camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
Addressing the media in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, said, “Operation Sindoor was launched to bring the perpetrators and planners of the Pahalgam terror attack to justice. Despite a fortnight having passed, there has been no demonstrable step from Pakistan against terrorists’ infrastructure in its area.”
The operation, which commenced around 1:44 AM, was meticulously executed based on precise intelligence inputs, and successfully neutralized all identified terror camps without causing any civilian casualties or targeting military installations. Among the terror sites destroyed were Sawi Nallah camp, Syedba Bilal camp, Gulpur camp, Bhimber camp, Abbas camp, Sarjal camp near Sialkot, Mehmoona Joya camp, Markaze-Toiba Murdike, and Marka Subhna Allah in Bahawalpur—the last two infamously linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), through its proxy The Resistance Front (TRF), had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack, where gunmen indiscriminately opened fire on tourists in front of their families. It was the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 26/11 Mumbai carnage. Authorities believe the assault was designed to derail peace and tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, which has seen over 2.5 crore visitors in the past few years, and to incite communal discord.
Officials said the attackers involved in the Pahalgam massacre had been trained in camps like Gulpur and Bhimber, both destroyed in the strikes. “Pakistan continues to be a breeding ground for terrorism, sheltering and supporting terror outfits like LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed under various aliases,” Misri asserted.
The strikes were termed as a “non-escalatory, precise, and responsible” step. Military officials including Colonel Sofiya Quresh and Wing Commander Yomika Singh, who briefed the media alongside Misri, emphasized that Operation Sindoor was a mission for justice. “All nine targets were destroyed. Our forces exercised utmost restraint and precision to avoid civilian harm,” they noted.
India has provided detailed inputs on TRF, LeT, and JeM to the UN monitoring team, highlighting their operations through new proxy fronts. The UN Security Council (UNSC) has already issued a statement condemning the Pahalgam attack and calling for the perpetrators to be held accountable.
While India has chosen to respond proportionately, government sources warned of intelligence inputs indicating possible future terror attempts by Pakistan-based groups. “India has shown patience, but our armed forces remain fully prepared to defend our people and respond as needed,” Misri concluded.
The strikes have triggered strong national support, especially from the victims’ families, as India sends a clear message: Terrorism will not go unanswered.(KNO)
