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Updated: Feb 26, 2019 12:33 IST

Union minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday said that the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out strikes at terror camps across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. He said the IAF acted following “freedom” given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the forces in the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack on February 14.

“It was a necessary step required for the security of the nation. It was an act of maha-parakram (a mighty act)…This has come after Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave freedom to the forces following terror attack in Pulwama,” Javadekar said adding, “The entire nation stands behind the military forces.”

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The Union minister also talked about the steps taken by the government to mount pressure on Pakistan following Pulwama terror attack. He said the government withdrew the most favoured nation (MFN) status to Pakistan, increased import tariff by 200 per cent and decided to stop India’s quota of river water from flowing to Pakistan.

Before Javadekar, another Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that terror camps across the LoC were “completely destroyed” in the strikes carried out by the IAF. Shekhawat wrote on Twitter: “This is Modi’s Hindustan, it will enter their homes and strike. Air Force carried out aerial strike early morning today at terror camps across the LoC and completely destroyed [them]. Every drop of blood will be avenged. This is just a beginning. I will not let the nation bow down.”

Also Read | IAF jets strike and destroy Jaish terror camps deep across LoC: Sources

Reports early this morning said the IAF planes carried out strikes at terror launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC). The strikes were carried out by Mirage-2000 jets using laser-guided bombs in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkwa province of Pakistan, intelligence sources said.

The terror camps run by Jaish-e-Mohammed were the targets of the IAF strikes. Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility for a terror attack in Pulwama on February 14. At least 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans were killed on Jammu-Srinagar highway.

Pakistan earlier said the IAF “intruded” from Muzaffarabad sector but “timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force” forced the fighter jets return “in haste”.

An estimated casualty of 200-300 was caused in the strikes by the IAF. Sources said that the laser guided bombs, which were used by the IAF, are built with Israeli technology and were first used during Kargil war.