Pakistan has threatened India with retaliation after its rival launched an airstrike against militants in the Pakistan-controlled part of Kashmir.

Major General Asif Ghafoor warned New Delhi in a news conference on Tuesday afternoon, saying: "It is your turn now to wait and get ready for our surprise."

The early morning airstrike on a suspected extremist training camp in the section of Kashmir controlled by Pakistan "eliminated" a large number of terrorists, India said.

Pakistan denied the claims from its neighbour, saying there were "no casualties" in the raid and "no infrastructure got hit".

The fighter jets targeted Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), which India suspects of carrying out a suicide attack in India's part of Kashmir which killed 41 Indian troops earlier this month.


Payload of hastily escaping Indian aircrafts fell in open. pic.twitter.com/8drYtNGMsm — Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 26, 2019

Two sources in the Indian security services told Sky News that a number of Mirage 2000 fighter jets carried out strikes in Chakoti and Balakot in an operation lasting 19 minutes.

As tensions continue to rise, India said it successfully test-fired a short-range missile hours after the air raid, launching a Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM) from a test range off the coast of Odisha.

A vehicle filled with explosives was driven into a convoy transporting more than 2,500 security personnel in the Indian section of Kashmir in the suicide attack on 14 February.

Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) said in a video it had carried out the attack.

Image: Pakistan says the bombs fell in the open. Pic: Twitter/@OfficialDGISPR

India's foreign secretary, Vijay Gokhale, said his country had information that Jaish-e-Muhammad was planning more attacks in India, noting that Pakistan made a "solemn commitment in 2004 not to allow its territory to be used for terrorism against India".

He told reporters: "India has struck the biggest training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Balakote, which was headed by Maulana Yousuf Azar, the brother in law of the chief of the JeM.

"A large number of JeM terrorists were eliminated."

Image: Pakistani residents in the mountainous area of Balakot where India launched its raid

He added that the target was "located on a thick forest on a hill top far away from any civilian presence".

But Major General Ghafoor, spokesperson for Pakistan's armed forces, tweeted pictures purporting to show that the fighter jets had faced a "timely and effective response from Pakistan Air Force".

Image: India's foreign secretary, Vijay Gokhale, says terrorists were 'eliminated'

There has been outrage in India following the Kashmir suicide bombing, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi warning Pakistan to expect a strong response.

In reply, Pakistan's prime minister, Imran Khan, told India: "If you attack us, Pakistan will not think - but will retaliate.

"Pakistan has been a victim of terrorism - over 70,000 Pakistanis have lost their lives due to this. Terrorists are enemies of Pakistan."