(Representative image/ Reuters)



Twelve Indian Air Force Mirage-2000 jets crossed the Line of Control (LoC) early on Tuesday morning and destroyed terror camps of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot. The air strike, which has been dubbed surgical strikes 2.0, comes two weeks after a terror attack on CRPF soldiers in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir.



Prime Minister Narendra ModI, while addressing a poll rally in Rajasthan, said, “Today I assure the countrymen, India is in safe hands.” He also repeated the BJP’s campaign slogan of 2014 with the message that he won’t let anyone hurt or stop the nation.



Foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale confirmed the air strike and said a large number of JeM terrorists, trainers and senior commanders were eliminated at the largest terror training camp in Balakot. The camp was led by Maulana Yusuf Azhar alias Ustad Ghauri, brother-in-law of JeM Chief Masood Azhar. The government said the camp was located on a hilltop, deep in a forest, and far away from any civilian presence.



Sources told CNN-News18 that the air force dropped 1,000 kg laser-guided bombs on the terror camp. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level Cabinet Committee on Security meeting in New Delhi along with Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Arun Jaitley on the attack. The attack, which the government said was pre-emptive action in the face of more fidayeen strikes, took place at 3:30 am.



India had put all IAF bases in the western sector on maximum alert after the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.



Pakistan’s NSC, however, "strongly rejected Indian claim of targeting an alleged terrorist camp near Balakot as well as the claim of heavy casualties" and claimed that Pakistan’s jets had intercepted the IAF planes and forced them to withdraw without causing any damage. They claimed that payload dropped by Indian fighter jets was not 1,000kg laser-guided bombs and instead fuel tanks to escape faster.



"Once again Indian government has resorted to a self-serving, reckless and fictitious claim," the statement said. "This action has been done for domestic consumption being in election environment, putting regional peace and stability at grave risk."



"The claimed area of strike is open for the world to see the facts on ground. For this domestic and international media is being taken to the impact site. Forum concluded that India has committed uncalled for aggression to which Pakistan shall respond at the time and place of its choosing," the statement said.