14:07 FS Vijay Gokhale briefs foreign diplomats: Foreign diplomats from the USA, UK, Russia, Australia, Indonesia, Turkey and six Asean nations being briefed by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale on Indian air strike across LOC in Balakot.
14:03 Yusuf Azhar bombed in Balakot air strike was Kandahar hijacker:
Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale on Tuesday confirmed that India had “struck the biggest training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Balakot”, in the early hours of Tuesday.
He said the strike took place on a hilltop in a forest location far from civilian areas and that the JeM camp was run by Yusuf Azhar, who is believed to be the brother-in-law of Masood Azhar, the leader of JeM.
The Hindu reports that Yusuf Azhar alias Mohammad Salim was one of the men who hijacked the Indian Airline flight IC 814 to Kandahar in 1999. The JeM chief, Masood Azhar, was then released by India in exchange for the IC- 814 hijacked passengers.
In 2002, the government handed over a list of 20 fugitives to Islamabad which featured Yusuf Azhar’s name. In 2000, the Interpol on the basis of a request by the Central of Investigation opened a red corner notice against the hijacker.
The notice (see picture alongside) says that his place of birth was in Karachi, Pakistan, and he was fluent in “Urdu and Hindi.” He is wanted in India for “hijacking, murder and kidnapping.”
14:03 India safe under Modi’s strong and decisive leadership: Shah:
After the air strike, time for politics.
BJP president Amit Shah Indian says the Air Force’s strikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan underscores the will and resolve a new India, asserting it has shown that the country is safe under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strong and decisive leadership.
“I congratulate and salute the bravery and valour of our armed forces. Today’s action further demonstrates that India is safe and secure under the strong and decisive leadership of PM Narendra Modi,” he said.
“Our New India will not spare any acts of terror and their perpetrators and patrons,” Shah added.
India struck Jaish-e-Mohammed’s (JeM) biggest camp in Pakistan early Tuesday in a major “preemptive” action killing a large number of terrorists and trainers of the Pakistan-based terror group preparing to carry out suicide attacks in this country. — PTI
13:49 Want pressure on Pakistan be kept up: Brother of slain CRPF jawan : The brother of CRPF jawan Vijay Maurya, who lost his life in the Pulwama terror attack reacts to the air strikes: “We are very happy that this happened, but we want pressure on Pakistan be kept up so that no terror org like JeM dares to attack us again.”
India Tuesday carried out pre-dawn air strikes on terror launch pads in Pakistan and destroyed terrorist targets. The strike comes amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan following the February 14 suicide attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group in Kashmir’s Pulwama district that killed 40 CRPF soldiers.
Strikes involving several fighter jets of the IAF successfully destroyed camps belonging to Pakistan-based terror outfits in Balakot in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
13:16 This will be benchmark for deterrence: Lone: People’s Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone Tuesday said the air strikes carried out by the Indian Air Force on terror camps in Pakistan will set a benchmark for deterrence and eventually end the cycle of violence. “Pacifist to the core I am. But the reality as it stares in our faces is that this retaliatory action will actually be the start of the unlearning process for Pakistan. This will set the benchmark for deterrence. And eventually crowd out cycle of violence,” Lone said in a tweet.
He was reacting to the IAF air strikes in Pakistan in the wake of suicide car bombing attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama on 14 February that left 40 jawans dead. — PTI
13:13 NSA Doval reviews border security with Army, Air Force chiefs : News updates at this hour: NSA Ajit Doval along with Indian Army Chief Bipin Rawat and IAF Chief BS Dhanoa is reviewing the security situation on the borders after Indian Air Force strikes at JeM terror camp in Balakot across LoC.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has called an all-party meeting at 5pm today.
13:11 Pakistan has the right to self defence: Pak FS :
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, in a hurriedly summoned security meeting after Indian Air Force’s multiple aerial strikes at terror launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC), said that clouds of danger are hovering over Pakistan and that his country should not be worried over India’s operation. “This was grave aggression by India against Pakistan. This is a violation of LoC and Pakistan has the right to retaliate and self defence,” he said.
“I have already said that I don’t want to mislead the public. Clouds of danger are hovering over us and we will have to remain alert,” Samaa TV quoted Qureshi, as saying.
The Pakistan foreign minister called a high-level emergency meeting on Tuesday for consultation with former foreign secretaries and senior diplomats hours after IAF carried out air strikes across the LoC.
The operation, in which 12 Mirage 2000 jets took part, was carried around 3:30 am, IAF sources told ANI. The jets dropped 1000 Kg bombs on terror camps across the LoC, completely destroying them, sources added. Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) control rooms were also destroyed in the strikes.
12:57 Pak drone shot down near Gujarat border: A Pakistani unmanned aerial vehicle was on Tuesday shot down near the International Border in Kutch district of Gujarat, police sources said. Debris of the UAV was seen near Nanghatad village in Abdasa taluka of Kutch, they said.
On hearing a loud sound around 6 am, villagers went to the spot and found the debris of the UAV, the sources said. Asked if a Pakistani UAV had been shot down by the Indian armed forces, a police official, on condition of anonymity, said, “Such an incident has happened, we are investigating the matter.”
The official, however, refused to elaborate further. Earlier, government sources said that in a pre-dawn strike, combat jets of Indian Air Force bombed terror camps at multiple locations across the Line of Control on the Pakistani side, 12 days after Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group carried out the dastardly Pulwama attack in Kashmir.
They said the IAF’s Mirage 2000 fighter jets pounded the terror camps in Balakot, Muzaffarabad and Chakoti in the well-planned strike destroying Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the operation. — PTI
12:54 PAF jets were about to shoot down Indian jets: Pak minister: Pakistan Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Haider Zaidi tweets on the Indian air strike in Balakot: Firstly, the alleged terrorist camps in Pakistan are nothing but a figment of Modi’s imagination. Secondly, the only thing the IAF dropped were fuel tanks, b/c they had to reduce the weight of their aircrafts & run back to their bases as PAF jets were about to shoot them down.”
12:37 People living near international border, LoC need to be evacuated: Omar: Omar Abdullah has an important point to make: “Now we have an obligation to ensure that our people living near the international border & line of control are not caught in any Pakistani response. Local administrations need to be ready to evacuate & rehouse people to safe areas if situation escalates.
“I’m in touch with my party colleagues in frontier areas to lend all possible help & assistance, both to the administration as well as to any people caught up in any Pakistani misadventure.”
In October 2016, a month after the surgical strike, Indian citizens in Bobiya and adjoining hamlets in Hiranagar sector in Kathua district spent sleepless nights due to the intensified shelling and firing by Pakistani Rangers on October-20 and 21.
Police armed with bullet proof vehicles criss crossed the shell-hit hamlets particularly Bobiya carrying loads of scared villagers. They were ferried to the camps setup by the district administration at government higher secondary school in Hiranagar and another school at Chhan Khatrian.
Image: A house destroyed by Pak bombing in October 2016 in the aftermath of the surgical strikes.
12:28 Indian jets hit Balakot in Imran Khan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: NDTV reports that after the press briefing, when Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, was asked whether the IAF struck the Balakote in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa or Balakote in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Gokhale said it was in fact the Balakote in KP, which is a hotbed of terror activity.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has briefed both the President and Vice-President about the Indian Air Force strike at JeM terror camp in Balakote.
FM Sushma Swaraj to brief the opposition on the non-military preemptive strike in Pakistan’s Balakote today. She leaves for China later in the day.
FS Vijay Gokhale said a large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and group of jehadis were eliminated in the operation. In the face of imminent danger, a preventive strike became “absolutely necessary”, he said, adding that India is firmly committed towards taking all measures to fight terrorism.
NDTV says JeM chief Masood Azhar’s nephew as well as over 300 terrorists were eliminated in the strike.
12:05 Omar says Balakote is in KPK:
Omar Abdullah: So it is Balakote in KPK. “Thats a strike deep inside Pakistan & is hugely embarrassing for them. Regardless of what the other side may claim was or wasnt hit the planes crossed over, dropped their payload & flew back completely unscathed.
After Abbotabad the line they took was we are primed to look East to prevent any Indian attacks and thats how the Americans got through. So where were they looking now?”
11:50 Govt: Several killed in preemptive strike on Jaish camp:
Foreign Secretary Vijay Keshav Gokhale briefs the media in Delhi on the air strike in Pakistan’s Balakote this morning.
“On February 14th, a suicide terror attack led to the martyrdom of our jawans. The Jaish-e-Mohammed is responsible for the series of attacks including the Parliament attack in 2002 and the Pathankot attack.
“Credible intelligence was received that the Jaish-e-Mohammed was attempting another suicide terror attack in various parts of the country and fidayeen jihadis were being trained for this purpose.
“In an intelligence lead operation in the early hours today, India struck the biggest training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot. This non-military pre-emptive action was specifically targetted at the biggest JeM camp in Balakot and a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commander and Jihadis were eliminated. The camp was controlled by Maulana Yusuf Azhar, the brother-in-law of Jaish-E-Mohammed head, Masood Azhar.
The camp is located at a hilltop in deep forests far away from civilian settlements. The selection of the target was done to avoid civilian casualties.”
Since the strike has just taken place, the FS said more information is expected.
Image: Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale.
11:32 Place where the explosives were dropped is known as Jaba Top :
BBC reporter Sameer Hashmi: The BBC’s Pakistan bureau has learnt that the operation by the Indian Air force was carried out in Balakot area of KP in Pakistan. Balakot is a subdivision of Mansehra district. The place where the explosives were dropped is known as Jaba Top.
11:27 NIA conducts raids at separatist leader Yasin Malik’s residence :
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at the residence of JKLF Chief Yasin Malik in Srinagar on Tuesday morning. Adequate security is deployed outside the residence while NIA officials conducted the raid.
Yasin Malik was detained by the police late on Friday night.
Maliks detention comes ahead of a crucial hearing on Article 35A in Supreme Court which is likely to take place in between Feb 26 to Feb 28.
The article, incorporated into the Indian Constitution in 1954, grants special rights and privileges to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir.
In the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack which claimed lives of 40 CRPF soldiers on February 14, Jammu and Kashmir government withdrew security cover of several separatists including Malik, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Shabir Shah and Saleem Geelani. — ANI
11:25 Indian aircraft intruded from Muzaffarabad sector: Pak: The Pakistan Government’s twitter handle: “Indian aircrafts intruded from Muzaffarabad sector. Facing timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force, released payload in haste while escaping, which fell near Balakot. No casualties or damage: DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor.
Indian aircrafts intrusion across LOC in Muzaffarabad Sector within AJ&K was 3-4 miles. Under forced hasty withdrawal aircrafts released payload which had free fall in open area. No infrastructure got hit, no casualties: DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor.”
Image: The image the Pak govt tweeted showing the extent of damage after the Pak air strike.
11:05 Western Air Command coordinated air strike on Pak :
Updates at this hour:News agency ANI reports that Pakistani F16 jets were scrambled to retaliate against the IAF Mirage 2000s but turned back due to the size of the Indian formation. Western Air Command coordinated the operation. One of the targets destroyed by the IAF Mirage jets was in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area.
Meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security ends. Briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs at 11:30 am.
BJP spokesperson Ram Madhav tweets: Every Indian who had d pain n anguish of d martyrdom of our forces is greatly relieved and delighted this morning. Salute to d Air Force for a meticulous operation. Our forces r world class anyway. It is d political will of our PM n team that made all d difference.
And a word of caution from journalist Sadanand Dhume: “What we know: 1. The Pakistan army regularly lies through its teeth. (Remember Abbottabad.)
2. Much of the Indian media exaggerates wildly. (Remember nutty demonetization.)
3. Social media mobs in both countries view skepticism as a form of treason. #HappyFactChecking #Balakot
10:53 Media briefing at 11:30 am : Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale will hold a press conference at 11:30 am to brief the media on the air strikes.
10:46 This is Modi’s India, will enter your homes, kill you: Union Minister: First confirmations from a union minister, but not from the defence ministry. MoS Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat tweets:
Air Force carried out aerial strike early morning today at terror camps across the LoC and Completely destroyed it.
Ek Ek katra khoon ka hisab hoga. Yeh toh ek shuruat hai. Yeh desh nahin jhukne doonga. This is payback for each drop of blood. This is just the beginning. This country will not bend.
#Balakot
#Surgicalstrike2″
10:27 Which Balakot?:
Journalist Nirupama Subramanian tweets: Wild speculation on social media that IAF crossed into Pakistan to hit Balakote in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. FYI, there is a Bala Kot across from Poonch. In fact it is a divided village on the LoC.
10:17 200-300 terrorists killed: India Today :
Update: India is believed to have carried out air strikes inside Pakistan at 3:30 am Tuesday and targeted terror camps, sources said. India Today, quoting sources say, between 200-300 terrorists have been killed.
In Islamabad, the Pakistan Army alleged that the Indian Air Force violated the Line of Control in the Muzafarabad sector. “Indian aircraft 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,” Major General Asif Ghafoor, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistan Army, said in a tweet.
The development comes amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan after the February 14 suicide attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group that killed 40 CRPF soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district. — PTI
Image: The location of Balakot where terror camps were destroyed.
10:17 Pak summons emergency meeting : Radio Pakistan says Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has summoned an emergency meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan. The meeting will discuss the security situation.
10:11 Congress President tweets, “I salute the pilots of the IAF”.
10:08 IAF on high alert along LoC, border areas : Indian Air Force has put on high alert all air defence systems along the international border and LoC to respond to any possible action by Pakistan Air Force.
Image: Meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security underway at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.
10:03 Cabinet Committee on Security meets after India bombs Pak terror camps: If you’ve just joined us, this is the big news this morning.
The Indian Air Force has carried out an aerial strike at terror camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir early this morning. “Twelve Mirage 2000 Indian fighter jets struck major terrorist camps across the Line of Control (LoC) and completely destroyed it by shelling 1000 Kg bombs”, Indian Air Force sources told ANI.
“At 12.30 am, on February 26, a group of Mirage 2000 Indian Fighter jets struck major terrorist camps across the LoC and completely destroyed it,” IAF sources said.
NSA Ajit Doval has briefed PM Narendra Modi even as the Cabinet Committe on Security is taking place now at the PM’s residence.
The ministry of defence has yet to give a briefing on the issue, but reports say several terror launch pads have been destroyed in Balakot and Chakoti in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Reports say that Pakistan foreign minister Mahmood Quereshi has called for an emergency meeting.
09:51 Which Balakote was taken out, asks Omar :
Omar Abdullah tweets: Unless we know which Balakote is being talked about by the Pakistani generals its pointless speculating about what we may have hit & what fallout the airstrike will have. If this is Balakote in KPK its a major incursion & a significant strike by IAF planes. However if its Balakote in Poonch sector, along the LoC its a largely symbolic strike because at this time of the year forward launch pads & militant camps are empty & non-functional.
09:49 Were Jaish camps destroyed in IAF air strikes empty?:
@Jonah Blank This may be the substantive news of the reported #India-#Pakistan action. Any #JaishEMohammad camp destroyed by #IAF was almost certainly empty. And India is highly unlikely to have attacked a Pakistan military target. -BUT if Indian Air Force crossed the #LOC: Definite message
@NarangVipin Ok here we go. If true, first time IAF acknowledges crossing LoC for air strikes in almost half a century (1971 War). Did not do so during Kargil War one year after both India and Pakistan tested nuclear weapons. Seemingly did so today.
09:43
Training facility at #Balakot was developed in 2000-2001, overseen by Saifur Rehman Saifi, who pioneered suicide bombings in Pakistan, fought with the Taliban in Afghanistan, and targeted religious minorities. Al Rahmat Trust (another Jaish-e-Mohammed front) also registered there, says Author and strategic analyst Dhruva Jaishankar.
09:27
Former diplomat and strategic affairs expert KC Singh tweets
#Balakot #AirForce At Balakot Maharaja Ranjit Singhs army in 1831 eliminated Islamic force of Syed Ahmad, who like Talibans Mullah Omar had become Amir al-Mumunin. Pakistan ISPR tweeting pictures of large craters but no loss. Satellite pics will reveal actual damage & truth.
09:25 ‘This may be a mass-casualty event’:
According to Strategic Sentinel, a nonpartisan international relations and national security analysis agency, there may a mass-casualty due to the air strike.
“We’re getting reports that this may be a mass-casualty event. This seems to have been a surgical strike on a terrorist camp deep in Pakistan. Those camps have reportedly been destroyed,” it tweets.
09:06 Mirage 2000 jets dropped 1,000kg bombs on terror camps: Reports:
Twelve Mirage 2000 Indian fighter jets struck terrorist camps across the Line of Control, shelling 1000 Kg bombs, news agency ANI reported quoting Indian Air Force sources.
“Twelve Mirage 2000 Indian fighter jets struck major terrorist camps across the Line of Control and completely destroyed it by shelling 1000 Kg bombs”, ANI tweeted.
“At 12.30 am, on February 26, a group of Mirage 2000 Indian Fighter jets struck major terrorist camps across the LoC and completely destroyed it,”
Defence analyst Nitin Gokhale said that multiple Mirage 2000s went upto Balakot to strike terror camps.
“Multiple IAF aircraft went right upto Balakot (KPK)as confirmed by@DGISPRand hit Jaish camp(s) can be confirmed now,” Gokhale tweeted.
“Mirage 2000s struck Jaish camp(s). Completely flattened according to initial estimate,” he said in another tweet.
08:34 Indian planes flew into our airspace, says Pak :
Did Indian Air Force fighters fly across the LoC into Pakistan?
Major General Asif Ghafoor, the Director General of Inter Services Public Relations in Pakistan tweeted yesterday evening: ‘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.’
Image used for representational purpose only.
00:08 Ex-campaign staffer files sexual misconduct lawsuit against Trump:
A former staffer on Donald Trumps presidential campaign has filed a federal lawsuit against the US president, claiming he kissed her without consent.
Alva Johnson, who was director of outreach and coalitions in Alabama in 2016, told the Washington Post that Trump grabbed her hand and leaned in to kiss her on the lips, as the then candidate got out of a vehicle at a rally in Tampa on August 24 2016.
According to the Post, Johnson said she turned her head and the unwanted kiss landed on the side of her mouth, which she called super-creepy and inappropriate.
The Post quoted her as saying: I immediately felt violated because I wasnt expecting it or wanting it. I can still see his lips coming straight for my face.
In a statement to the newspaper, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders dismissed Johnsons allegation as absurd on its face.
Sanders said: This never happened and is directly contradicted by multiple highly credible eyewitness accounts.
Johnson filed the lawsuit in Florida on Monday, seeking damages for emotional pain and suffering.
The Post said the lawsuit also alleges the campaign discriminated against Johnson, who is black, by paying her less than her white male counterparts.
A spokesman for the Trump campaign denied the claim.
Trump has been accused of sexual misconduct by numerous women, claims which he denies.
Source: Rediff