LeT suffered maximum damage in surgical strikes

PTI, October 10, 2016, BARAMULLA/NEW DELHI: Radio intercepts indicate that 20 militants of the banned outfit were killed. The Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) suffered the worst damage in the recent surgical strikes on terror launchpads carried out by the Indian Army. Radio intercepts indicate that nearly 20 militants of the banned outfit were killed.

The assessment reports available from the Army’s field units, which include radio conversations among Pakistani formations, show that the most damage was inflicted on the LeT at the Dudniyal launchpad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, opposite the Kupwara sector in north Kashmir, sources say.

The sources said on Sunday that five teams chosen from the Army division in the area were tasked with destroying the launch pads of terror groups located at Kail, also known as Kel, and Dudniyal. In a well-calibrated operation, which started on the intervening night of September 28 and 29, the Army moved across the Line of Control and smashed four launch pads that were under the guard of a Pakistani post 700 metres from the Line of Control.

The sources said the terrorists were not expecting an action by the Indian Army and were taken by surprise. The terrorists, mainly of the LeT, were seen running towards the Pakistani post, and they were killed by the Indian troops, the assessment reports say.

After the successful strikes, effective radio monitoring and strict vigil were ordered, the sources said. The Pakistani Army’s radio intercepts indicated that at least 10 LeT terrorists were killed during the multiple and near-synchronised surgical strikes on four launchpads. There was heavy movement of Pakistani Army vehicles till the break of dawn, and all the bodies were taken away, the sources said. As per the radio intercepts, there was a mass burial in the Neelum valley.

Soldiers killed

A similar blow was dealt to the terror launchpads at Balnoi, opposite Poonch, in which nine LeT militants were killed, the sources said. Two Pakistani soldiers belonging to 8 Northern Light Infantry were also killed, they said.

However, after 8.30 a.m. on September 28, radio and wireless communication among various Pakistani formations fell silent, the sources said. There were intelligence reports that terrorists were planning to enter India through Kashmir and Jammu. The sources said the Army waited for the terrorists to gather at one place before launching the attack. Pakistan has contested the claims of Indian Army, and said no surgical strikes were carried out. They said two of their soldiers were killed in cross-border firing. After the operation, duty officer at the Director-General of Military Operation in Pakistan was informed.