fbpx
Wikipedia

2019 India–Pakistan border skirmishes

September 04, 2023

2019 India–Pakistan skirmishes
Part of the Indo−Pakistani conflicts and the Kashmir conflict

Map of Kashmir, showing the territory controlled by India and Pakistan in blue and green, respectively
Date14 February – 22 March 2019
(1 month and 6 days)
Location
Line of Control
Result Inconclusive
Belligerents

 India

Jaish-e-Mohammed

 Pakistan

Casualties and losses
Before onset of hostilities:
  • 40–46 CRPF personnel killed[1][2] and 70 wounded[3]

The 2019 India–Pakistan border skirmishes were a series of armed clashes consisting of cross-border airstrikes and exchanges of gunfire between India and Pakistan across the de facto border in the disputed Kashmir region, which is subject to extensive territorial claims by both countries.[12]

The heightened tensions stemmed from the 14 February 2019 Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 40 Indian Central Reserve Police Force personnel. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by a Pakistan-based militant group, Jaish-e-Mohammed.[13] India blamed Pakistan for the attack and promised a robust response, while the latter condemned the attack and denied having any connection to it.[14][15]

Twelve days later, in the early morning of 26 February 2019, India carried out a cross-border airstrike near Balakot, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.[16][17]

Pakistan's military, the first to announce the airstrike that same morning,[18] claimed that Indian warplanes had crossed the international border and dropped their payload in an uninhabited wooded hilltop area near Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.[19] India, confirming the airstrike later that day, characterized it to be a preemptive strike directed against a terrorist training camp, and claimed that it had caused the deaths of a "large number" of terrorists.[20][21]

The second airstrike, a retaliatory one by Pakistan,[22] was conducted in the daytime on February 27, inside Indian-administered Kashmir. A dogfight between Indian and Pakistani fighter jets during this airstrike resulted in the downing of an Indian MiG-21 Bison by the Pakistan Air Force, following which its pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was taken prisoner by the Pakistani military before being returned to India on March 1.[23][24][25] An Indian Mi-17 helicopter was brought down by friendly fire in which all six airmen on board were killed; this was acknowledged by India on 4 October 2019.[4]

Aftermath analysis of open-source satellite imagery by the American Atlantic Council's Digital Forensics Laboratory,[26] San Francisco-based Planet Labs,[27] European Space Imaging[28] and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute[29] concluded that India did not hit any targets of significance on the Jaba hilltop site near Balakot in Pakistan.[30][31]

On 10 April 2019, one and a half months later, a group of international journalists, who were taken to the Jaba hilltop in a tightly controlled trip arranged by the Pakistani government, although unable to make a knowledgeable evaluation,[32][33] found the largest building there to show no evidence of damage or recent rebuilding efforts.[34][35][36][37]

Background

See also: Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts and Kashmir conflict

India and Pakistan have long been at odds with each other, having engaged in several wars, conflicts, and military standoffs. The roots of the continued tension are complex, but have centred mainly around the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. After the 1947 Partition of India, the newly formed independent states of Pakistan and India squabbled over it, which led to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948 and a subsequent sharing of the state. The settlement was non-agreeable to both the parties and since then, this had become an ongoing intractable issue leading to a war in 1965. The nations also partook in another war in 1971 which led to the formation of Bangladesh. Both countries developed nuclear weapons in the 1990s and this had a sobering effect on the next major conflict – the 1999 Kargil War.[38]

As of now, the Line of Control demarcates the areas of administration: Pakistan administers the territory to the northwest of the line; India administers the territory to the southeast.[39] Since 1989, a militant-fueled insurgency has raged in Indian-administered Kashmir, driven by a desire for either independence or union with Pakistan.[40][41] The United Nations has stated Pakistan was providing material support to the militants[42] and stated India was committing human rights violations.[43]

The standoff occurred ahead of the 2019 Indian general election.[44][45] After the Pulwama attack, Pakistan's PM attributed Indian government's desire to retaliate against Pakistan to the upcoming election.[46][47] The Indian government rejected the allegation.[46] Many analysts have stated that a military response to Pakistan would improve the electoral prospects of India's ruling party.[48][49][45][50]

Military events

Pulwama attack

Main article: 2019 Pulwama attack

The 2019 India–Pakistan military standoff was a result of[51] a militant attack in February 2019, when a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy carrying security personnel on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber at Lethpora in the Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir, India. Over 40 CRPF personnel and the perpetrator were killed in the attack, which Jaish-e-Mohammed took responsibility for. The attacker was identified as Adil Ahmad Dar, a militant from Jammu and Kashmir, and a member of Jaish-e-Mohammed.[52] This was the deadliest attack on Indian forces in Kashmir since 1989.[53]

Balakot airstrike

Main article: 2019 Balakot airstrike

On 26 February 2019, the Indian Air Force conducted airstrikes at Balakot in Pakistan. The strikes were subsequently stated to be "non-military" and "preemptive" in nature; targeting a Jaish-e-Mohammed facility within Pakistan. The Indian government stated that the airstrike was in retaliation to the Pulwama attack and that "a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis" were eliminated who were preparing for launching another suicide attack targeting Indian assets.[54]

Indian media reported to have confirmed from official sources that twelve Mirage 2000 jets were involved in the operation and that they struck multiple militant camps in Balakot, Chakothi and Muzaffarabad operated by Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen,[55] killing about 350 militants. The exact figures varied across media-houses.[56]

Pakistani officials acknowledged the intrusion of Indian aircraft into the country's airspace but rejected the statements about the results. They stated that the Indian jets were intercepted and that the payloads were dropped in unpopulated areas and resulted in no casualties or infrastructural damage.[57] Pervez Khattak, the Pakistani Defence Minister, stated that the Pakistani Air Force did not retaliate at that time because "they could not gauge the extent of the damage".[58]

Business Today India stated that the area around Balakot had been cordoned off by the Pakistan Army and evidences such as the dead bodies were being cleared from the area.[59] Praveen Swami writing for Firstpost said that Indian intelligence estimated a figure of about 20 casualties and that there were five confirmed kills per burial records.[60] He also said there was a JeM rally in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on 28 February, wherein Masood Azhar's brother, Abdul Rauf Rasheed Alvi mentioned India's attack of their headquarters and vowed revenge.[60] In another piece he stated that RAW analysts estimated 90 casualties including three Pakistani Army trainers, based on intercepted communications.[61] Swami also said there was a lack of witness testimony to independently assess the validity of above statements.[61]

This airstrike was the first time since the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 that aerial attacks had been carried out across the Line of Control.[61]

Villagers from the area said that four bombs struck a nearby forest and a field resulting in damage to a building and injuring a local man around 3:00 am.[62][63][64] On 28 February 2019, Pakistani Reuters reporters Asif Shahzad, Abu Arqam Naqash reported that the structure and its vicinity (of the bomb site) to be intact from the rear,[63] however on 8 March 2019, the Reuters media team was prevented for third time from climbing hill to the closely guarded madrasa site in Balakot.[65]

Some diplomats and analysts have raised doubts about the efficacy of the strike, stating that the terrorist groups along the border would have vacated the area, after the Indian Prime Minister vowed to retaliate against the Pulwama attack.[66] The local people varied as to the purpose of the facility.[64] Whilst some stated it being an active Jaish training camp, others stated it to have been a mere school for the local kids and that such militant camps had used to exist far earlier.[63][64] Satellite-data analysis by Nathan Ruser, from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said there was an absence of any apparent evidence to verify Indian statements.[56][67][68] Michael Sheldon, a digital forensics analyst at the Atlantic Council, did an independent investigation on the issue, in which he said that no damage was caused to any infrastructure around the target site. He concluded that "something appears to have gone wrong in the targeting process", which was mysterious in light of the autonomous nature of the missiles reportedly used.[69][70][24][71] However, Pakistan had to close the site for one and a half month or 43 days before opened to foreign delegates and media.[72][73][74]

The Indian officials stated that synthetic aperture radar showed that four buildings had been destroyed.[68] Vice-Marshal RGK Kapoor of the Indian Air Force said on 28 February 2019 that though it was "premature" to provide details about the casualties, they had "fairly credible evidence" of the damage inflicted on the camp by the air strikes.[63]

Border skirmishes

Heavy skirmishes between Pakistani and Indian forces occurred along the Line of Control on 26 February, with small arms and mortar fire being exchanged.[75] Pakistani officials reported that at least four civilians were killed, and eleven were wounded.[76][77] A 55-year-old woman and her two children were killed in the Nakyal sector. In the Khuiratta sector, a 40-year-old woman was killed.[76]

Throughout 27 February, heavy exchanges of fire between Indian and Pakistani forces continued along the Line of Control.[78] Ten Indian soldiers were injured along with two residential houses being destroyed in the skirmishes.[6] The Pakistani Army stated that on March 1, two of its soldiers were killed by firing from the Indian Army at the Line of Control.[79] Shelling across the Line of Control killed a Kashmiri woman and her two sons after a shell landed on their home, with another civilian being critically wounded.[citation needed] On 6 and 7 March, Pakistani and Indian forces exchanged heavy artillery fire along the line of control, with Pakistani forces using 130 mm and 105 mm artillery and 120 mm mortars.[80] In response to the Pakistani artillery fire, the Indian army began utilizing 155mm FH77B Bofors cannons against Pakistani positions.[80]

Retaliatory airstrikes, capture and release of pilot

Main article: 2019 Jammu and Kashmir airstrikes
 
Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured in Pakistan after his aircraft was shot down in an aerial dogfight. He was later released.

On 27 February, Pakistani military officials announced that Pakistan had carried out an airstrike against multiple targets in Jammu and Kashmir. A military spokesman claimed that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was able to lock onto Indian military installations, but opted to drop weapons into open areas instead, "to avoid human loss and collateral damage.[unbalanced opinion?][81] Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the airstrikes only aimed to "send a message" and appealed for negotiations to avoid a full-blown war.[82] The spokesman further said that the Pakistan Air Force had shot down two Indian aircraft after they encroached on Pakistan's airspace, one of which fell in Pakistan administered Kashmir while the other fell in Indian administered Kashmir.[83][84] It was also stated that Pakistan Army had captured two Indian pilots, one of whom was said to be injured and taken to the Combined Military Hospital.[85][86] But a subsequent statement revised the count down to one–Abhinandan Varthaman, a Wing Commander.[87] According to Indian media allegations, the other pilot the Pakistan Army claimed to have captured and taken to the Combined Military Hospital is claimed to be the downed F-16 pilot.[88][89][90] On the other hand, according to The National Bureau of Asian Research, such claims of an F-16 being shot down by India are said to be "debunked".[91]

India rejected this version of events and stated to have "successfully foiled" Pakistan's attempt to "target military installations".[92] An Indian Air Force (IAF) official statement hours after the airstrike stated that bombs had been dropped on Indian army formation compounds, but there was no damage to military installations.[93] The Indian military later stated that three Pakistan Air Force jets had crossed the Line of Control (LoC) from Nowshera, Jammu and Kashmir and had dropped bombs over Nadian, Laam Jhangar, Kerri in Rajouri District and Hamirpur area of Bhimber Galli in Poonch, before being pushed back by six Indian airforce jets.[94][95] There were no damage or casualties.[96] Raveesh Kumar from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs also stated that a Pakistani aircraft of the sortie was shot down by the Indian Air Force in the process.[97][61] Indian defence sources initially contradicted Pakistan's statement of capturing a pilot[98][99] but subsequently the Indian Ministry of External Affairs confirmed[97] that an Indian pilot was missing in action after a MiG-21 Bison fighter plane was lost while engaging with Pakistani jets.[100]

The retaliatory air strikes coupled with the capture of the Indian pilot led to a heightened state of military alert. Tanks were deployed to the border in the Pakistani side whilst several Kashmiri residents reportedly fled their homes and painted their homes with red-cross signs to avert air-strikes.[101]

Pakistan released the captured pilot on 1 March, describing the move as a gesture of peace.[8][102][103] The Indian Air Force though stated that the pilot's release was an obligation under the Geneva Conventions.[104] The Indian media also criticized Pakistan's release of his photographs and interrogation videos to be against the protocols of the convention.[105][106] A video published by the state just prior to his release that showed him praising Pakistani Army and condemning Indian media was criticized for being heavily edited.[107][108]

Naval intrusion

On 5 March, the Pakistani Navy claimed to have successfully warded off an intrusion attempt by an Indian submarine into its territorial waters and released a video of a surfaced submarine.[109][110][111] The Indian Navy subsequently rejected these statements as "false propaganda."[112]

Other incidents

Closure of Pakistani airspace

On 27 February, Pakistan cancelled all commercial flights and closed its airspace until the midnight of 28 February.[113][114] A NOTAM was issued by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority to close the airspace.[115] Airlines were required to reroute or cancel their flights with routes planned over Pakistan.[116] On 1 March, the NOTAM closing the airspace was extended until 8:00 AM (UTC) on 4 March with 23 exceptions listed.[117] Pakistan's airspace was closed for flights crossing the country's airspace except for arriving and departing flights at major airports in Pakistan.[118] The airspace closure was again repeatedly extended,.[119][120][121][122] The Pakistan finally opened its airspace for all civilian aircraft on 15 July 2019, after 140 days.[123][124]

India did not close down its civilian air traffic and only the Srinagar airspace was closed for 2–3 hours on the day of the skirmish.[125] However the Pakistani flights were allowed usage of Indian airspace only after 15 July when Pakistan opened up its airspace.[126]

The airspace closure led to a loss of US$100 Million for Pakistan due to the skipping of its airspace by an average of 400 aircraft daily.[127] Air India suffered loss of ₹491 Crore till 2 July, as it had to reroute its flights that were affected by the closure of Pakistani airspace. Similarly private Indian airlines SpiceJet lost ₹ 30.73 crore, IndiGo lost ₹ 25.1 crore and GoAir lost ₹ 2.1 crore.[128]

Suspension of Samjhauta Express

On 28 February, Samjhauta Express, a train that runs twice weekly between India and Pakistan, was suspended by the government of Pakistan.[129] It was scheduled to depart from Lahore with 16 passengers, who were stranded there.[130] On 4 March, Pakistan, and consequently India, resumed the operations of Samjhauta Express.[131]

Pakistan arrests suspected militants

On 5 March, Pakistan arrested 44 members of various groups, including the Jaish-e-Muhammad. Some of those arrested had been named by India in a dossier it gave to Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack.[132] Pakistan said those arrested will be held for at least 14 days, and if India provided further evidence they would be prosecuted.[132] Among those arrested were relatives of JeM leader Masood Azhar, including his son Hamad Azhar and his brother Abdul Rauf.[132]

Peace offer

Both Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi agreed on a peace offer on 22 March 2019 ending hostilities and vowed to fight against terrorism together.[133][134]

Aftermath and analysis

Revocation of special status and August border clashes

Main article: 2019 Kashmir lockdown

On 5 August 2019, the Government of India revoked the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir[135]

On 15 August Pakistan and Indian forces exchanged fire over the disputed frontier in Kashmir, leaving 3 Pakistani soldiers dead and two civilians.[136]

On 21 August the Indian-administered Kasmir police informed about a gun battle that left a rebel and a police officer killed.[137] The deceased militant was a member of Lashkar-e-Taiba a terror organization.[137]

Artillery strike

The Statesman, an Indian newspaper, reported that 18 terrorists and 16 Pakistani soldiers were killed when Indian Army launched artillery strikes on terrorist camps in Neelum valley on October 19 and 20.[138] Mohammad Faisal, however, said that five Pakistani civilians had died.

Legacy

In 2023, Mike Pompeo, who served as United States Secretary of State during the crisis, claimed that U.S. diplomacy prevented the dispute from sparking a nuclear war. According to Pompeo, he was informed by Sushma Swaraj in February 2019 that the Indian government believed Pakistan was preparing a nuclear attack, and that India was preparing an escalatory response. Pompeo claimed that he and then-national security advisor John Bolton spoke with then-Pakistani Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa in "the tiny secure communications facility in our hotel" to deescalate the dispute. Neither the Indian Ministry of External Affairs or Pakistani Foreign Office commented on Pompeo's claims.[139]

International reaction

A number of nations, including Australia,[140] Canada,[141] China,[142] Indonesia,[143] Malaysia,[144] Sri Lanka,[145] the United Arab Emirates,[146] and the United States,[147] expressed their concern, with some calling for restraint. Iran and Turkey have each offered to mediate the crisis.[148][149]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Indian aircraft violate Pakistan airspace 'to conduct surgical strike'". The Independent. 26 February 2019. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  2. ^ "India will 'completely isolate' Pakistan". BBC News. 15 February 2019. from the original on 15 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019 – via bbc.com.
  3. ^ "Pulwama terror attack: Timeline of conflict between India and Pakistan". gulfnews.com. from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  4. ^ a b c AFP, Staff Writer (4 October 2019), India admits friendly fire downed Mi-17 helicopter in Kashmir, Washington, DC: The Defense Post, retrieved 9 February 2021, The Indian Air Force confirmed for the first time on Friday, October 4 that it shot down one of its own Mi-17 helicopters during clashes with Pakistan in February over Kashmir, killing all six on board.
  5. ^ Network, The Statesman/Asia News (27 February 2019). "Heavy shelling reported on India-Pakistan border; 5 soldiers injured". newsinfo.inquirer.net. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  6. ^ a b "J&K: Pakistan army uses tanks on LoC in Sialkot sector, situation tense, say sources". India Today. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  7. ^ a b c "Deadly Pakistan-India Border Skirmishes Continue in Kashmir". VOA. from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Abhinandan: Captured Indian pilot handed back by Pakistan". BBC News. from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  9. ^ a b "Jet downing raises India-Pakistan tension". BBC News. 27 February 2019. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019 – via bbc.com.
  10. ^ "Kashmir: at least eight killed as India-Pakistan hostilities resume". The Guardian. 2 March 2019. from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  11. ^ "Six martyred in Indian shelling at LoC". thenews.com.pk. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  12. ^ Joanna Slater; Niha Masih (15 February 2019), "Modi vows action after dozens die in deadliest attack in Indian-held Kashmir in 3 decades", Washington Post, from the original on 17 February 2019, retrieved 4 April 2019 Quote: "Both India and Pakistan claim the Himalayan region of Kashmir, but it has been divided between them for more than 70 years."
  13. ^ Safi, Michael; Farooq, Azhar (15 February 2019). "Dozens of Indian paramilitaries killed in Kashmir car bombing". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023. The Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the bombing. It said it was carried out by Adil Ahmad Dar, a locally recruited fighter from south Kashmir's Pulwama district. The group released a video showing Dar delivering his will and a photograph of him surrounded by guns and grenades
  14. ^ Safi, Michael; Farooq, Azhar (15 February 2019). "Dozens of Indian paramilitaries killed in Kashmir car bombing". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023. We will give a befitting reply, our neighbour will not be allowed to de-stabilise us," Modi said
  15. ^ Abi-Habib, Maria; Yasir, Sameer; Kumar, Hari (15 February 2019). "India Blames Pakistan for Attack in Kashmir, Promising a Response". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. from the original on 23 February 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023. Pakistan has denied involvement in the attack, in which at least 40 Indian soldiers were killed Thursday when a driver slammed an explosives-packed vehicle into a paramilitary convoy.
  16. ^ Joanna Slater (26 February 2019), "India strikes Pakistan in severe escalation of tensions between nuclear rivals", Washington Post
  17. ^ Safi, Michael; Zahra-Malik, Mehreen (27 February 2019). "'Get ready for our surprise': Pakistan warns India it will respond to airstrikes". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023. Pakistan, said the war planes made it up to five miles [eight kilometres] inside its territory
  18. ^ Safi, Michael; Zahra-Malik, Mehreen (27 February 2019). "'Get ready for our surprise': Pakistan warns India it will respond to airstrikes". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023. Pakistan, which was the first to announce the incursion
  19. ^ Abi-Habib, Maria; Ramzy, Austin (26 February 2019). "Indian Jets Strike in Pakistan in Revenge for Kashmir Attack". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023. A spokesman for Pakistan's armed forces, Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor, on Tuesday posted on Twitter four images of a forested area pockmarked with small craters and debris, which he said was the site of Indian airstrikes.
  20. ^ "Statement by Foreign Secretary on 26 February 2019 on the Strike on JeM training camp at Balakot". mea.gov.in. Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. 26 February 2019. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019. a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated
  21. ^ Slater, Joanna; Constable, Pamela (27 February 2019). "Pakistan captures Indian pilot after shooting down aircraft, escalating hostilities". The Washington Post. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  22. ^ Kazmin, Amy (1 March 2019). "India and Pakistan engage in a high-stakes game of brinkmanship". Financial Times. Retrieved 1 July 2023. A day after India's strike, Pakistan retaliated, sending planes to attack military installations in India.
  23. ^ Joanna Slater; Pamela Constable (27 February 2019), "Pakistan captures Indian pilot after shooting down aircraft, escalating hostilities", Washington Post
  24. ^ a b Gettleman, Jeffrey; Kumar, Hari; Yasir, Sameer (2 March 2019). "Deadly Shelling Erupts in Kashmir Between India and Pakistan After Pilot Is Freed". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  25. ^ Joanna Slater; Pamela Constable (27 February 2019), "Pakistan captures Indian pilot after shooting down aircraft, escalating hostilities", Washington Post, from the original on 15 March 2019, retrieved 30 March 2019 Quote: The two days of tit-for-tat airstrikes ... the first since 1971, were triggered by a Feb. 14 terrorist bombing in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed 40 Indian security personnel."
  26. ^ @DFRLab (28 February 2019), "Surgical Strike in Pakistan a Botched Operation? Indian jets carried out a strike against JEM targets inside Pakistani territory, to questionable effect", Medium, from the original on 4 March 2019, retrieved 5 March 2019 Quote: "Indian fighter jets carried out strikes against targets inside undisputed Pakistani territory, but open-source evidence suggested that the strike was unsuccessful."
  27. ^ Howell, Martin; Doyle, Gerry; Scarr, Simon (6 March 2019). "Satellite images show buildings still standing at Indian bombing site". Reuters. from the original on 16 March 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023. The images produced by Planet Labs Inc, a San Francisco-based private satellite operator, show at least six buildings on the madrasa site on March 4, six days after the airstrike. There are no discernible holes in the roofs of buildings, no signs of scorching, blown-out walls, displaced trees around the madrasa or other signs of an aerial attack.
  28. ^ European Space Imaging (8 March 2019), PAKISTAN: Satellite Imagery confirms India missed target in Pakistan airstrike, from the original on 27 March 2019, retrieved 20 April 2019 Quote: " ... said Managing Director Adrian Zevenbergen. '... The image captured with Worldiew-2 of the buildings in question shows no evidence of a bombing having occurred. There are no signs of scorching, no large distinguishable holes in the roofs of buildings and no signs of stress to the surrounding vegetation.' "
  29. ^ Hellyer, Marcus; Ruser, Nathan; Bachhawat, Aakriti (27 March 2019). "India's strike on Balakot: a very precise miss?". The Strategist. from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023. But India's recent air strike on a purported Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist camp in Balakot in Pakistan on 26 February suggests that precision strike is still an art and science that requires both practice and enabling systems to achieve the intended effect. Simply buying precision munitions off the shelf is not enough.
  30. ^ Sameer Lalwani; Emily Tallo (17 April 2019), "Did India shoot down a Pakistani F-16 in February? This just became a big deal.", Washington Post Quote: " Open-source satellite imagery suggests India did not hit any targets of consequence in the airstrikes it conducted after the terrorist attack on the paramilitaries.
  31. ^ Safi, Michael; Zahra-Malik, Mehreen (5 March 2019). "Kashmir's fog of war: how conflicting accounts benefit both sides". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. from the original on 5 March 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023. Analysis of open-source satellite imagery has also cast doubt on India's claims. A report by the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab was able to geolocate the site of the attack and provide a preliminary damage assessment. It compared satellite images from the days before and after India's strike and concluded there were only impacts in the wooded areas with no damage visible to surrounding structures.
  32. ^ Howell, Martin; Salahuddin (11 April 2019). "Inside the Pakistani madrasa where India said it killed hundreds of 'terrorists'". Reuters. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  33. ^ Heanue, Siobhan (13 April 2019). "School or terror training camp? The madrasa that brought the world closer to nuclear war". ABC News. from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023. It was at the centre of a clash that almost brought two nuclear nations to war, but exactly what goes on inside a small madrasa on a hilltop near Kashmir remains a mystery. One thing is clear: India's claim that it destroyed a militant training camp and killed more than 300 extremists cannot be backed up by the evidence. More than a month after India launched airstrikes inside Pakistan in retaliation for a militant attack that killed 40 paramilitary troops in Kashmir, foreign media have been allowed to see the areas hit.
  34. ^ Howell, Martin; Salahuddin (11 April 2019). "Inside the Pakistani madrasa where India said it killed hundreds of 'terrorists'". Reuters. Retrieved 1 July 2023. Those visiting the site on Wednesday didn't see any signs that there had been significant building work to either clear structures or erect new ones. And the vegetation didn't appear to have suffered the stress that might be expected from a missile attack. The main madrasa building itself doesn't appear to be reinforced in any major way - it has a metal roof with some modest wooden beams.
  35. ^ "Balakot air strike: Pakistan shows off disputed site on eve of India election". BBC News. 10 April 2019. from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023. They were given access to an Islamic school in Balakot, where Indian media say militants were killed in retaliation for an attack in Kashmir. The large building appeared to be fully intact
  36. ^ "Pakistan takes media, diplomats on visit to Indian strike site". France 24. 11 April 2019. from the original on 19 April 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023. International outlets which visited the Indian air strike site in Pakistan found no evidence of a major terrorist training camp -- or of any infrastructure damage at all.
  37. ^ Heanue, Siobhan (13 April 2019). "School or terror training camp? The madrasa that brought the world closer to nuclear war". ABC News. from the original on 13 April 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023. It was at the centre of a clash that almost brought two nuclear nations to war, but exactly what goes on inside a small madrasa on a hilltop near Kashmir remains a mystery. One thing is clear: India's claim that it destroyed a militant training camp and killed more than 300 extremists cannot be backed up by the evidence. More than a month after India launched airstrikes inside Pakistan in retaliation for a militant attack that killed 40 paramilitary troops in Kashmir, foreign media have been allowed to see the areas hit.
  38. ^ "A brief history of the Kashmir conflict". Daily Telegraph. 24 September 2001. ISSN 0307-1235. from the original on 8 January 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  39. ^ Engle, Jeremy (6 March 2019). "Learning With: 'Why Do India and Pakistan Keep Fighting Over Kashmir?'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. from the original on 1 July 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  40. ^ "Why India and Pakistan dispute Kashmir". BBC. 27 February 2019. from the original on 24 December 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  41. ^ "The Future of Kashmir?". BBC. from the original on 18 November 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  42. ^ Joanna Slater; Niha Masih (15 February 2019), "Modi vows action after dozens die in deadliest attack in Indian-held Kashmir in 3 decades", Washington Post, from the original on 17 February 2019, retrieved 4 April 2019 Quote: "India and the United States accuse Pakistan of supporting and sheltering militants who launch attacks into Indian-held territory, something Pakistan denies."
  43. ^ Zutshi, Chitralekha (5 March 2019). "Why the Kashmir conflict is not just an India-Pakistan border dispute". PBS NewsHour. from the original on 5 March 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  44. ^ Perrigo, Billy (26 February 2019). "What to Know About Rising Tensions Between India and Pakistan". Time. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  45. ^ a b Kumar, Nikhil (27 February 2019). "Why being seen as tough on Pakistan helps India's Modi". CNN. from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  46. ^ a b "Pakistan warns India against attacking". BBC News. 19 February 2019. from the original on 23 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  47. ^ "Pakistan will address actionable evidence if shared by Delhi, PM Khan tells India after Pulwama attack". Dawn. 19 February 2019. from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  48. ^ Gramer, Robbie; Seligman, Lara (27 February 2019). "Amid Re-Election Campaign, Modi Takes the Fight to Pakistan". Foreign Policy. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  49. ^ Biswas, Soutik (6 March 2019). "'War' and India PM Modi's muscular strongman image". BBC News. from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  50. ^ Das, Krishna N.; Ghoshal, Devjyot (26 February 2019). "Air strike on Pakistan sparks celebrations in India, seen boosting Modi support". Reuters. from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  51. ^ "Viewpoint: India strikes in Pakistan a major escalation". BBC News. 26 February 2019. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019 – via bbc.com.
  52. ^ "Pulwama Attack 2019, everything about J&K terror attack on CRPF by terrorist Adil Ahmed Dar, Jaish-e-Mohammad". India Today. from the original on 18 February 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  53. ^ "Deadliest Kashmir militant attack on troops". BBC. 14 February 2019. from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  54. ^ "IAF struck 'JeM's biggest training camp' at Balakot, says Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale on India's operation in Pakistan". Firstpost. 26 February 2019. from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  55. ^ "Surgical strike on Pakistan: Exact target of IAF operation identified as Jaba Top; air force carried out several hits around site". Firstpost. 26 February 2019. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  56. ^ a b Chacko, Johann (1 March 2019). "Both India and Pakistan may be lying, and that may breed worse disasters". Quartz India. from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  57. ^ "Indian strikes target militants in Pakistan". BBC News. 26 February 2019. from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  58. ^ Anderson, Claire (27 February 2019). "Pakistan defence minister mocked after saying it was 'Too Dark' for airstrike retaliation". Daily Express. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  59. ^ "Pakistan trying to hide dead bodies of terrorists in Balakot, debunks India's claims: Source". Business Today. 26 February 2019. from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  60. ^ a b Swami, Praveen (1 March 2019). "Property records nail Pakistani lie on Jaish-e-Mohammed HQ in Bahawalpur, finds Firstpost investigation". Firstpost. from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  61. ^ a b c d "India Pakistan: Kashmir fighting sees Indian aircraft downed". BBC News. 27 February 2019. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  62. ^ "No blood. No bodies. No debris. No tragedy". The Express Tribune. 27 February 2019. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  63. ^ a b c d Shahzad, Asif; Naqash, Abu Arqam (1 March 2019). "Pakistani village asks: Where are bodies of militants India says it bombed?". Reuters. from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  64. ^ a b c Hashim, Asad (28 February 2019). "At raid site, no casualties and a mysterious school". Al Jazeera. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  65. ^ "Reuters team prevented for third time from climbing hill to madrasa site in Balakot". The Hindu. 8 March 2019. ISSN 0971-751X. from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  66. ^ Abi-Habib, Maria; Ramzy, Austin (26 February 2019). "Indian Jets Strike in Pakistan in Revenge for Kashmir Attack". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  67. ^ Ruser, Nathan (1 March 2019). "Did Balakot Airstrikes Hit Their Target? Satellite Imagery Raises Doubts". The Wire. from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  68. ^ a b "Eyewitnesses say Indian air strike on Balakot killed terrorists, former ISI agents". cnbctv18.com. 2 March 2019. from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  69. ^ Safi, Michael; Zahra-Malik, Mehreen (5 March 2019). "Kashmir's fog of war: how conflicting accounts benefit both sides". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. from the original on 5 March 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  70. ^ "Surgical Strike in Pakistan a Botched Operation?". DFRLab. 28 February 2019. from the original on 4 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  71. ^ Slater, Joanna (1 March 2019). "In crisis with Pakistan, India's Modi keeps eye on elections". The Washington Post. from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  72. ^ Gurung, Shaurya Karanbir (29 March 2019). "A month after Indian air strike, Pakistan takes journalists to Balakot site". The Economic Times.
  73. ^ "Foreign journalists given access to madressah near site of Balakot strike". DAWN.COM. 10 April 2019.
  74. ^ "43 Days After Balakot Air Strike by IAF, Pakistan Takes Media Team And Diplomats to 'Site'". News18. 10 April 2019.
  75. ^ "Heavy firing by Pakistan along LoC, Army strongly retaliates". Hindustan Times. 26 February 2019. from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  76. ^ a b Naqash, Tariq (27 February 2019). "4 AJK civilians dead, 11 wounded in 'indiscriminate' Indian shelling across LoC". DAWN.COM. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  77. ^ Naqash, Abu Arqam; Miglani, Sanjeev (26 February 2019). "India launches air strike in Pakistan; Islamabad denies militant camp hit". Reuters. from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  78. ^ "India-Pakistan reportedly exchange heavy fire on Line of Control – USD/INR may extend gains". FXStreet. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  79. ^ Mughal, Roshan; Hussain, Aijaz (2 March 2019). "8 killed in India-Pakistan fighting after return of downed Indian fighter pilot". ChicagoTribune. from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  80. ^ a b Gurung, Shaurya Karanbir (7 March 2019). "Army uses Bofors guns to respond to border shelling by Pakistan". The Economic Times.
  81. ^ "Pakistan had no choice but to respond, says DG ISPR". The Nation. 27 February 2019. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  82. ^ Safi, Michael; Zahra-Malik, Mehreen (28 February 2019). "India demands safe return of pilot shot down by Pakistan over Kashmir". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  83. ^ Hashim, Asad (27 February 2019). "Pakistan shoots down two Indian fighter jets: Military". Al Jazeera. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  84. ^ "2 Indian aircraft violating Pakistani airspace shot down; pilot arrested". DAWN.COM. 27 February 2019. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  85. ^ Regan, Helen; Kumar, Nikhil; Raja, Adeel; Gupta, Swati (28 February 2019). "Pakistan says it shot down two Indian jets as Kashmir border crisis deepens". CNN. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  86. ^ "2 Indian aircraft violating Pakistani airspace shot down; 2 pilots arrested". DAWN.COM. 27 February 2019. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  87. ^ "Pakistan claims IAF's Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in its custody, releases video". India Today. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  88. ^ Joshi, Sameer (7 April 2019). "In PAF lies & subterfuge, an F-16 tail number & a PAF pilot -both hidden to serve a myth". The Print. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  89. ^ "With radar images, IAF proves F-16 was shot down, exposes Pakistan". Business Standard India. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  90. ^ Sharan, Sunil (1 May 2019). "The mystery of the missing F-16". Times of India Blog. from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  91. ^ Daniel S. Markey (January 27th, 2022). The Strategic Implications of India’s Illiberalism and Democratic Erosion. pg. 100-101. The National Bureau of Asian Research. Article in Asia Policy 17.1. Free Article Access Link. Archived . Retrieved January 29th, 2022.
  92. ^ Pandit, Rajat; Parashar, Sachin (28 February 2019). "Tension in the air: IAF, PAF lose a jet each; pilot in Pakistan custody". The Times of India. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  93. ^ "We are on heightened state of readiness: Defence forces". The Economic Times. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  94. ^ "Pakistan jets violate Indian airspace in Kashmir's Nowshera, drop bombs". The Week. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  95. ^ "Indian pilot 'missing in action'; IAF shoots down Pakistan's jet: What we know so far". The Times of India. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  96. ^ "Pakistani jets cross LoC, Indian Air Force takes down one F-16". India Today. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  97. ^ a b "Statement by Official Spokesperson on 27 February 2019". mea.gov.in. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  98. ^ Khan, Muhammad Ilyas (28 February 2019). "Abhinandan: Villagers recount dramatic capture of pilot". BBC News. from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  99. ^ "India Denies Any of Its Jets Shot Down by Pakistan". Outlook India.
  100. ^ Kirti, Sumedha, ed. (27 February 2019). "India-Pak Tensions LIVE: IAF Wing Commander Missing After MiG-21 Crash, Pakistan Claims He is in Their Custody, Says Govt". News18. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  101. ^ Abi-Habib, Maria; Kumar, Hari (27 February 2019). "Pakistani Military Says It Downed Two Indian Warplanes, Capturing Pilot". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  102. ^ "Pakistan will release Indian Pilot Abhinandan tomorrow as a gesture of peace: Prime Minister Imran Khanpic.twitter.com/6aUN4S9JVb". @pid_gov. 28 February 2019. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  103. ^ "Pakistan 'to free Indian pilot on Friday'". BBC. 28 February 2019. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  104. ^ "No goodwill gesture to return pilot Abhinandan, was expected under Geneva Conventions, says IAF". India Today. 28 February 2019. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  105. ^ Roy, Debayan (1 March 2019). "Did Geneva Conventions Make Pakistan Release IAF Pilot or Was it A Peace Gesture? News18 Explains". News18. from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  106. ^ "Captured IAF pilot handed over to Delhi as 'peace gesture'". Dawn. 1 March 2019. from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  107. ^ Safi, Michael (1 March 2019). "Pakistan returns Indian pilot shot down over Kashmir in 'peace gesture'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  108. ^ "Pakistan hands back captured Indian pilot". BBC. 1 March 2019. from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
  109. ^ "Pakistan Navy claims it thwarted Indian submarine from entering its waters". Hindustan Times. 5 March 2019. from the original on 5 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  110. ^ "Pakistan claims it chased away Indian Navy submarine, releases video". India Today. 5 March 2019. from the original on 5 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  111. ^ Siddiqui, Naveed (5 March 2019). "Pakistan Navy foils attempt by Indian submarine to enter Pakistani waters". Dawn. from the original on 5 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  112. ^ "Pakistan's claims on Indian submarine false propaganda: Navy". The Times of India. 5 March 2019. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
  113. ^ "Thousands stranded in Thailand, a day after Pakistan closes airspace". DAWN.COM. 28 February 2019. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  114. ^ Qazi Hassan, Sirajuddin (27 February 2019). "Pakistani airspace to remain closed till Thursday midnight". DAWN. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  115. ^ Pakistan, C. A. A. (27 February 2019). "Civil Aviation Authority of #Pakistan has officially closed its airspace until further notice & issued NOTAM. pic.twitter.com/qGZBMiKxvG". @AirportPakistan. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  116. ^ "India-Pakistan tensions force airlines to cancel and reroute flights | DW | 28.02.2019". Deutsche Welle. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  117. ^ https://www.caapakistan.com.pk/upload/Notams/A210-19.txt[permanent dead link]
  118. ^ "Notices to Airmen (NOTAMS)". www.caapakistan.com.pk.
  119. ^ "Pakistan closes its airspace till March 11". Daily Times. 9 March 2019. Retrieved 10 March 2019.
  120. ^ Haidar, Suhasini; Chandra, Jagriti (2 April 2019). "Pakistan airspace closure hits Afghan, Kazakh, Russian airlines". The Hindu. from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  121. ^ Chandra, Jagriti (29 May 2019). "Pakistan extends ban on use of its airspace for flights till June 15". The Hindu. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  122. ^ "Pakistan airspace closure costs over ₹548 crore to Indian airlines". Livemint. 4 July 2019.
  123. ^ Staff Reporter (16 July 2019). "Pakistan reopens airspace for all civilian traffic; Indian flights to operate soon". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  124. ^ "Normal air traffic resumes as India follows Pakistan, lifts ban on airspace". India Today.
  125. ^ Peri, Dinakar (24 June 2019). "Did not let tensions with Pakistan dictate our civil aviation: Air Chief". The Hindu. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  126. ^ "Normal air traffic resumes as India follows Pakistan, lifts ban on airspace". India Today. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  127. ^ "Pakistan lost millions in airspace closure post Balakot strike: Here's how countries earn from thin air". The Times of India. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  128. ^ "Pakistan reopens airspace for civillian [sic] traffic 140 days after Balakot airstrike". India Today. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  129. ^ "LIVE: Pakistan suspends cross-border Samjhauta Express". Moneycontrol.com. 28 February 2019. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  130. ^ "Amid tensions with India, Pakistan suspends Samjhauta Express". India Today. 28 February 2019. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  131. ^ "Samjhauta Express train resumes operation today". The Nation. 4 March 2019. from the original on 4 March 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  132. ^ a b c Hashim, Asad (5 March 2019). "Pakistan arrests scores in fresh crackdown on armed groups". Al Jazeera. from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  133. ^ Gul, Ayaz (22 March 2019). "Pakistani PM Receives National Day Greetings from Indian Counterpart". VOA. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  134. ^ "Pakistan welcomes India's peace offer | Pakistan Today". www.pakistantoday.com.pk.
  135. ^ Akhtar, Rais; Kirk, William, Jammu and Kashmir, State, India, Encyclopaedia Britannica, retrieved 7 August 2019 (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and Kashmir, state of India, located in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent in the vicinity of the Karakoram and westernmost Himalayan mountain ranges. The state is part of the larger region of Kashmir, which has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since the partition of the subcontinent in 1947."
  136. ^ Farmer, Ben (15 August 2019). "Five killed as Pakistan and India trade fire amid Kashmir tension". The Telegraph.
  137. ^ a b "Two killed in first Kashmir gun battle since lockdown began". Al Jazeera.
  138. ^ "18 terrorists killed, JeM launch pads destroyed in artillery strikes by Army in PoK: Reports". The Statesman. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
  139. ^ "India, Pakistan came close to a nuclear war, claims former U.S. Secretary of State in new book". The Hindu. 24 January 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  140. ^ "Australia Asks India, Pak To 'Exercise Restraint', Engage In Dialogue". Outlook. 26 February 2019. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  141. ^ "Canada calls for de-escalation between India and Pakistan". canada.ca. 27 February 2019. from the original on 3 March 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  142. ^ "China goes soft on Pakistan, says it has always opposed terrorism". India Today. 27 February 2019. from the original on 28 February 2019.
  143. ^ Khaliq, Riyaz ul (28 February 2019). "Indonesia calls on India, Pakistan to reduce tensions". Anadolu Agency. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  144. ^ "Malaysia expresses concern over India-Pakistan tensions". Bernama. The Edge Markets. 27 February 2019. from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  145. ^ "Ensure stability of entire region: SL tells India, Pakistan". Daily Mirror. 27 February 2019. from the original on 28 February 2019.
  146. ^ "Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Calls PM Modi, Imran Khan Amid Rising Tensions". NDTV. 28 February 2019. from the original on 1 March 2019.
  147. ^ "Concern Regarding India-Pakistan Tensions". U.S. Department of State. from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  148. ^ "Iran offers mediation between Pakistan and India amid rising tensions". Samaa TV. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
  149. ^ "Turkey offers mediation between Pakistan, India as tensions escalate". The Express Tribune. 27 February 2019. from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.

Notes

September 04, 2023
2019, india, pakistan, border, skirmishes, 2019, india, pakistan, skirmishespart, indo, pakistani, conflicts, kashmir, conflictmap, kashmir, showing, territory, controlled, india, pakistan, blue, green, respectivelydate14, february, march, 2019, month, days, l. 2019 India Pakistan skirmishesPart of the Indo Pakistani conflicts and the Kashmir conflictMap of Kashmir showing the territory controlled by India and Pakistan in blue and green respectivelyDate14 February 22 March 2019 1 month and 6 days LocationLine of ControlResultInconclusiveBelligerents India Indian Army Indian Air Force Indian Navy CRPFJaish e Mohammed Pakistan Pakistan Army Pakistan Air Force Pakistan NavyCasualties and lossesBefore onset of hostilities 40 46 CRPF personnel killed 1 2 and 70 wounded 3 6 soldiers killed friendly fire 4 7 12 soldiers wounded 5 6 7 1 pilot captured later released 8 1 MiG 21 shot down 9 1 Mi 17 helicopter shot down friendly fire 4 4 civilians killed 7 2 soldiers killed 10 10 12 civilians killed 9 11 7 The 2019 India Pakistan border skirmishes were a series of armed clashes consisting of cross border airstrikes and exchanges of gunfire between India and Pakistan across the de facto border in the disputed Kashmir region which is subject to extensive territorial claims by both countries 12 The heightened tensions stemmed from the 14 February 2019 Pulwama attack in Jammu and Kashmir which killed 40 Indian Central Reserve Police Force personnel Responsibility for the attack was claimed by a Pakistan based militant group Jaish e Mohammed 13 India blamed Pakistan for the attack and promised a robust response while the latter condemned the attack and denied having any connection to it 14 15 Twelve days later in the early morning of 26 February 2019 India carried out a cross border airstrike near Balakot Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan 16 17 Pakistan s military the first to announce the airstrike that same morning 18 claimed that Indian warplanes had crossed the international border and dropped their payload in an uninhabited wooded hilltop area near Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 19 India confirming the airstrike later that day characterized it to be a preemptive strike directed against a terrorist training camp and claimed that it had caused the deaths of a large number of terrorists 20 21 The second airstrike a retaliatory one by Pakistan 22 was conducted in the daytime on February 27 inside Indian administered Kashmir A dogfight between Indian and Pakistani fighter jets during this airstrike resulted in the downing of an Indian MiG 21 Bison by the Pakistan Air Force following which its pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was taken prisoner by the Pakistani military before being returned to India on March 1 23 24 25 An Indian Mi 17 helicopter was brought down by friendly fire in which all six airmen on board were killed this was acknowledged by India on 4 October 2019 4 Aftermath analysis of open source satellite imagery by the American Atlantic Council s Digital Forensics Laboratory 26 San Francisco based Planet Labs 27 European Space Imaging 28 and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute 29 concluded that India did not hit any targets of significance on the Jaba hilltop site near Balakot in Pakistan 30 31 On 10 April 2019 one and a half months later a group of international journalists who were taken to the Jaba hilltop in a tightly controlled trip arranged by the Pakistani government although unable to make a knowledgeable evaluation 32 33 found the largest building there to show no evidence of damage or recent rebuilding efforts 34 35 36 37 Contents 1 Background 2 Military events 2 1 Pulwama attack 2 2 Balakot airstrike 2 3 Border skirmishes 2 4 Retaliatory airstrikes capture and release of pilot 2 5 Naval intrusion 3 Other incidents 3 1 Closure of Pakistani airspace 3 2 Suspension of Samjhauta Express 3 3 Pakistan arrests suspected militants 4 Peace offer 5 Aftermath and analysis 5 1 Revocation of special status and August border clashes 5 2 Artillery strike 6 Legacy 7 International reaction 8 See also 9 References 9 1 NotesBackgroundSee also Indo Pakistani wars and conflicts and Kashmir conflict India and Pakistan have long been at odds with each other having engaged in several wars conflicts and military standoffs The roots of the continued tension are complex but have centred mainly around the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir After the 1947 Partition of India the newly formed independent states of Pakistan and India squabbled over it which led to the Indo Pakistani War of 1947 1948 and a subsequent sharing of the state The settlement was non agreeable to both the parties and since then this had become an ongoing intractable issue leading to a war in 1965 The nations also partook in another war in 1971 which led to the formation of Bangladesh Both countries developed nuclear weapons in the 1990s and this had a sobering effect on the next major conflict the 1999 Kargil War 38 As of now the Line of Control demarcates the areas of administration Pakistan administers the territory to the northwest of the line India administers the territory to the southeast 39 Since 1989 a militant fueled insurgency has raged in Indian administered Kashmir driven by a desire for either independence or union with Pakistan 40 41 The United Nations has stated Pakistan was providing material support to the militants 42 and stated India was committing human rights violations 43 The standoff occurred ahead of the 2019 Indian general election 44 45 After the Pulwama attack Pakistan s PM attributed Indian government s desire to retaliate against Pakistan to the upcoming election 46 47 The Indian government rejected the allegation 46 Many analysts have stated that a military response to Pakistan would improve the electoral prospects of India s ruling party 48 49 45 50 Military eventsPulwama attack Main article 2019 Pulwama attack The 2019 India Pakistan military standoff was a result of 51 a militant attack in February 2019 when a Central Reserve Police Force CRPF convoy carrying security personnel on the Jammu Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle borne suicide bomber at Lethpora in the Pulwama district Jammu and Kashmir India Over 40 CRPF personnel and the perpetrator were killed in the attack which Jaish e Mohammed took responsibility for The attacker was identified as Adil Ahmad Dar a militant from Jammu and Kashmir and a member of Jaish e Mohammed 52 This was the deadliest attack on Indian forces in Kashmir since 1989 53 Balakot airstrike Main article 2019 Balakot airstrike On 26 February 2019 the Indian Air Force conducted airstrikes at Balakot in Pakistan The strikes were subsequently stated to be non military and preemptive in nature targeting a Jaish e Mohammed facility within Pakistan The Indian government stated that the airstrike was in retaliation to the Pulwama attack and that a very large number of JeM terrorists trainers senior commanders and groups of jihadis were eliminated who were preparing for launching another suicide attack targeting Indian assets 54 Indian media reported to have confirmed from official sources that twelve Mirage 2000 jets were involved in the operation and that they struck multiple militant camps in Balakot Chakothi and Muzaffarabad operated by Jaish e Mohammed Lashkar e Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen 55 killing about 350 militants The exact figures varied across media houses 56 Pakistani officials acknowledged the intrusion of Indian aircraft into the country s airspace but rejected the statements about the results They stated that the Indian jets were intercepted and that the payloads were dropped in unpopulated areas and resulted in no casualties or infrastructural damage 57 Pervez Khattak the Pakistani Defence Minister stated that the Pakistani Air Force did not retaliate at that time because they could not gauge the extent of the damage 58 Business Today India stated that the area around Balakot had been cordoned off by the Pakistan Army and evidences such as the dead bodies were being cleared from the area 59 Praveen Swami writing for Firstpost said that Indian intelligence estimated a figure of about 20 casualties and that there were five confirmed kills per burial records 60 He also said there was a JeM rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on 28 February wherein Masood Azhar s brother Abdul Rauf Rasheed Alvi mentioned India s attack of their headquarters and vowed revenge 60 In another piece he stated that RAW analysts estimated 90 casualties including three Pakistani Army trainers based on intercepted communications 61 Swami also said there was a lack of witness testimony to independently assess the validity of above statements 61 This airstrike was the first time since the Indo Pakistani War of 1971 that aerial attacks had been carried out across the Line of Control 61 Villagers from the area said that four bombs struck a nearby forest and a field resulting in damage to a building and injuring a local man around 3 00 am 62 63 64 On 28 February 2019 Pakistani Reuters reporters Asif Shahzad Abu Arqam Naqash reported that the structure and its vicinity of the bomb site to be intact from the rear 63 however on 8 March 2019 the Reuters media team was prevented for third time from climbing hill to the closely guarded madrasa site in Balakot 65 Some diplomats and analysts have raised doubts about the efficacy of the strike stating that the terrorist groups along the border would have vacated the area after the Indian Prime Minister vowed to retaliate against the Pulwama attack 66 The local people varied as to the purpose of the facility 64 Whilst some stated it being an active Jaish training camp others stated it to have been a mere school for the local kids and that such militant camps had used to exist far earlier 63 64 Satellite data analysis by Nathan Ruser from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said there was an absence of any apparent evidence to verify Indian statements 56 67 68 Michael Sheldon a digital forensics analyst at the Atlantic Council did an independent investigation on the issue in which he said that no damage was caused to any infrastructure around the target site He concluded that something appears to have gone wrong in the targeting process which was mysterious in light of the autonomous nature of the missiles reportedly used 69 70 24 71 However Pakistan had to close the site for one and a half month or 43 days before opened to foreign delegates and media 72 73 74 The Indian officials stated that synthetic aperture radar showed that four buildings had been destroyed 68 Vice Marshal RGK Kapoor of the Indian Air Force said on 28 February 2019 that though it was premature to provide details about the casualties they had fairly credible evidence of the damage inflicted on the camp by the air strikes 63 Border skirmishes Heavy skirmishes between Pakistani and Indian forces occurred along the Line of Control on 26 February with small arms and mortar fire being exchanged 75 Pakistani officials reported that at least four civilians were killed and eleven were wounded 76 77 A 55 year old woman and her two children were killed in the Nakyal sector In the Khuiratta sector a 40 year old woman was killed 76 Throughout 27 February heavy exchanges of fire between Indian and Pakistani forces continued along the Line of Control 78 Ten Indian soldiers were injured along with two residential houses being destroyed in the skirmishes 6 The Pakistani Army stated that on March 1 two of its soldiers were killed by firing from the Indian Army at the Line of Control 79 Shelling across the Line of Control killed a Kashmiri woman and her two sons after a shell landed on their home with another civilian being critically wounded citation needed On 6 and 7 March Pakistani and Indian forces exchanged heavy artillery fire along the line of control with Pakistani forces using 130 mm and 105 mm artillery and 120 mm mortars 80 In response to the Pakistani artillery fire the Indian army began utilizing 155mm FH77B Bofors cannons against Pakistani positions 80 Retaliatory airstrikes capture and release of pilot Main article 2019 Jammu and Kashmir airstrikes nbsp Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman who was captured in Pakistan after his aircraft was shot down in an aerial dogfight He was later released On 27 February Pakistani military officials announced that Pakistan had carried out an airstrike against multiple targets in Jammu and Kashmir A military spokesman claimed that the Pakistan Air Force PAF was able to lock onto Indian military installations but opted to drop weapons into open areas instead to avoid human loss and collateral damage unbalanced opinion 81 Pakistan s Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the airstrikes only aimed to send a message and appealed for negotiations to avoid a full blown war 82 The spokesman further said that the Pakistan Air Force had shot down two Indian aircraft after they encroached on Pakistan s airspace one of which fell in Pakistan administered Kashmir while the other fell in Indian administered Kashmir 83 84 It was also stated that Pakistan Army had captured two Indian pilots one of whom was said to be injured and taken to the Combined Military Hospital 85 86 But a subsequent statement revised the count down to one Abhinandan Varthaman a Wing Commander 87 According to Indian media allegations the other pilot the Pakistan Army claimed to have captured and taken to the Combined Military Hospital is claimed to be the downed F 16 pilot 88 89 90 On the other hand according to The National Bureau of Asian Research such claims of an F 16 being shot down by India are said to be debunked 91 India rejected this version of events and stated to have successfully foiled Pakistan s attempt to target military installations 92 An Indian Air Force IAF official statement hours after the airstrike stated that bombs had been dropped on Indian army formation compounds but there was no damage to military installations 93 The Indian military later stated that three Pakistan Air Force jets had crossed the Line of Control LoC from Nowshera Jammu and Kashmir and had dropped bombs over Nadian Laam Jhangar Kerri in Rajouri District and Hamirpur area of Bhimber Galli in Poonch before being pushed back by six Indian airforce jets 94 95 There were no damage or casualties 96 Raveesh Kumar from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs also stated that a Pakistani aircraft of the sortie was shot down by the Indian Air Force in the process 97 61 Indian defence sources initially contradicted Pakistan s statement of capturing a pilot 98 99 but subsequently the Indian Ministry of External Affairs confirmed 97 that an Indian pilot was missing in action after a MiG 21 Bison fighter plane was lost while engaging with Pakistani jets 100 The retaliatory air strikes coupled with the capture of the Indian pilot led to a heightened state of military alert Tanks were deployed to the border in the Pakistani side whilst several Kashmiri residents reportedly fled their homes and painted their homes with red cross signs to avert air strikes 101 Pakistan released the captured pilot on 1 March describing the move as a gesture of peace 8 102 103 The Indian Air Force though stated that the pilot s release was an obligation under the Geneva Conventions 104 The Indian media also criticized Pakistan s release of his photographs and interrogation videos to be against the protocols of the convention 105 106 A video published by the state just prior to his release that showed him praising Pakistani Army and condemning Indian media was criticized for being heavily edited 107 108 Naval intrusion On 5 March the Pakistani Navy claimed to have successfully warded off an intrusion attempt by an Indian submarine into its territorial waters and released a video of a surfaced submarine 109 110 111 The Indian Navy subsequently rejected these statements as false propaganda 112 Other incidentsClosure of Pakistani airspace On 27 February Pakistan cancelled all commercial flights and closed its airspace until the midnight of 28 February 113 114 A NOTAM was issued by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority to close the airspace 115 Airlines were required to reroute or cancel their flights with routes planned over Pakistan 116 On 1 March the NOTAM closing the airspace was extended until 8 00 AM UTC on 4 March with 23 exceptions listed 117 Pakistan s airspace was closed for flights crossing the country s airspace except for arriving and departing flights at major airports in Pakistan 118 The airspace closure was again repeatedly extended 119 120 121 122 The Pakistan finally opened its airspace for all civilian aircraft on 15 July 2019 after 140 days 123 124 India did not close down its civilian air traffic and only the Srinagar airspace was closed for 2 3 hours on the day of the skirmish 125 However the Pakistani flights were allowed usage of Indian airspace only after 15 July when Pakistan opened up its airspace 126 The airspace closure led to a loss of US 100 Million for Pakistan due to the skipping of its airspace by an average of 400 aircraft daily 127 Air India suffered loss of 491 Crore till 2 July as it had to reroute its flights that were affected by the closure of Pakistani airspace Similarly private Indian airlines SpiceJet lost 30 73 crore IndiGo lost 25 1 crore and GoAir lost 2 1 crore 128 Suspension of Samjhauta Express On 28 February Samjhauta Express a train that runs twice weekly between India and Pakistan was suspended by the government of Pakistan 129 It was scheduled to depart from Lahore with 16 passengers who were stranded there 130 On 4 March Pakistan and consequently India resumed the operations of Samjhauta Express 131 Pakistan arrests suspected militants On 5 March Pakistan arrested 44 members of various groups including the Jaish e Muhammad Some of those arrested had been named by India in a dossier it gave to Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack 132 Pakistan said those arrested will be held for at least 14 days and if India provided further evidence they would be prosecuted 132 Among those arrested were relatives of JeM leader Masood Azhar including his son Hamad Azhar and his brother Abdul Rauf 132 Peace offerBoth Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi agreed on a peace offer on 22 March 2019 ending hostilities and vowed to fight against terrorism together 133 134 Aftermath and analysisRevocation of special status and August border clashes Main article 2019 Kashmir lockdown On 5 August 2019 the Government of India revoked the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir 135 On 15 August Pakistan and Indian forces exchanged fire over the disputed frontier in Kashmir leaving 3 Pakistani soldiers dead and two civilians 136 On 21 August the Indian administered Kasmir police informed about a gun battle that left a rebel and a police officer killed 137 The deceased militant was a member of Lashkar e Taiba a terror organization 137 Artillery strike The Statesman an Indian newspaper reported that 18 terrorists and 16 Pakistani soldiers were killed when Indian Army launched artillery strikes on terrorist camps in Neelum valley on October 19 and 20 138 Mohammad Faisal however said that five Pakistani civilians had died LegacyIn 2023 Mike Pompeo who served as United States Secretary of State during the crisis claimed that U S diplomacy prevented the dispute from sparking a nuclear war According to Pompeo he was informed by Sushma Swaraj in February 2019 that the Indian government believed Pakistan was preparing a nuclear attack and that India was preparing an escalatory response Pompeo claimed that he and then national security advisor John Bolton spoke with then Pakistani Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa in the tiny secure communications facility in our hotel to deescalate the dispute Neither the Indian Ministry of External Affairs or Pakistani Foreign Office commented on Pompeo s claims 139 International reactionA number of nations including Australia 140 Canada 141 China 142 Indonesia 143 Malaysia 144 Sri Lanka 145 the United Arab Emirates 146 and the United States 147 expressed their concern with some calling for restraint Iran and Turkey have each offered to mediate the crisis 148 149 See alsoMedia coverage of 2019 India Pakistan standoffReferences Indian aircraft violate Pakistan airspace to conduct surgical strike The Independent 26 February 2019 Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 India will completely isolate Pakistan BBC News 15 February 2019 Archived from the original on 15 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 via bbc com Pulwama terror attack Timeline of conflict between India and Pakistan gulfnews com Archived from the original on 26 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 a b c AFP Staff Writer 4 October 2019 India admits friendly fire downed Mi 17 helicopter in Kashmir Washington DC The Defense Post retrieved 9 February 2021 The Indian Air Force confirmed for the first time on Friday October 4 that it shot down one of its own Mi 17 helicopters during clashes with Pakistan in February over Kashmir killing all six on board Network The Statesman Asia News 27 February 2019 Heavy shelling reported on India Pakistan border 5 soldiers injured newsinfo inquirer net Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 a b J amp K Pakistan army uses tanks on LoC in Sialkot sector situation tense say sources India Today Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 a b c Deadly Pakistan India Border Skirmishes Continue in Kashmir VOA Archived from the original on 2 March 2019 Retrieved 3 March 2019 a b Abhinandan Captured Indian pilot handed back by Pakistan BBC News Archived from the original on 1 March 2019 Retrieved 1 March 2019 a b Jet downing raises India Pakistan tension BBC News 27 February 2019 Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 via bbc com Kashmir at least eight killed as India Pakistan hostilities resume The Guardian 2 March 2019 Archived from the original on 2 March 2019 Retrieved 2 March 2019 Six martyred in Indian shelling at LoC thenews com pk Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Joanna Slater Niha Masih 15 February 2019 Modi vows action after dozens die in deadliest attack in Indian held Kashmir in 3 decades Washington Post archived from the original on 17 February 2019 retrieved 4 April 2019 Quote Both India and Pakistan claim the Himalayan region of Kashmir but it has been divided between them for more than 70 years Safi Michael Farooq Azhar 15 February 2019 Dozens of Indian paramilitaries killed in Kashmir car bombing The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Archived from the original on 4 April 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 The Pakistan based militant group Jaish e Mohammed claimed responsibility for the bombing It said it was carried out by Adil Ahmad Dar a locally recruited fighter from south Kashmir s Pulwama district The group released a video showing Dar delivering his will and a photograph of him surrounded by guns and grenades Safi Michael Farooq Azhar 15 February 2019 Dozens of Indian paramilitaries killed in Kashmir car bombing The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Archived from the original on 4 April 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 We will give a befitting reply our neighbour will not be allowed to de stabilise us Modi said Abi Habib Maria Yasir Sameer Kumar Hari 15 February 2019 India Blames Pakistan for Attack in Kashmir Promising a Response The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Archived from the original on 23 February 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Pakistan has denied involvement in the attack in which at least 40 Indian soldiers were killed Thursday when a driver slammed an explosives packed vehicle into a paramilitary convoy Joanna Slater 26 February 2019 India strikes Pakistan in severe escalation of tensions between nuclear rivals Washington Post Safi Michael Zahra Malik Mehreen 27 February 2019 Get ready for our surprise Pakistan warns India it will respond to airstrikes The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Archived from the original on 31 March 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Pakistan said the war planes made it up to five miles eight kilometres inside its territory Safi Michael Zahra Malik Mehreen 27 February 2019 Get ready for our surprise Pakistan warns India it will respond to airstrikes The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Archived from the original on 31 March 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Pakistan which was the first to announce the incursion Abi Habib Maria Ramzy Austin 26 February 2019 Indian Jets Strike in Pakistan in Revenge for Kashmir Attack The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 A spokesman for Pakistan s armed forces Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor on Tuesday posted on Twitter four images of a forested area pockmarked with small craters and debris which he said was the site of Indian airstrikes Statement by Foreign Secretary on 26 February 2019 on the Strike on JeM training camp at Balakot mea gov in Ministry of External Affairs Government of India 26 February 2019 Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 a very large number of JeM terrorists trainers senior commanders and groups of jihadis who were being trained for fidayeen action were eliminated Slater Joanna Constable Pamela 27 February 2019 Pakistan captures Indian pilot after shooting down aircraft escalating hostilities The Washington Post Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Kazmin Amy 1 March 2019 India and Pakistan engage in a high stakes game of brinkmanship Financial Times Retrieved 1 July 2023 A day after India s strike Pakistan retaliated sending planes to attack military installations in India Joanna Slater Pamela Constable 27 February 2019 Pakistan captures Indian pilot after shooting down aircraft escalating hostilities Washington Post a b Gettleman Jeffrey Kumar Hari Yasir Sameer 2 March 2019 Deadly Shelling Erupts in Kashmir Between India and Pakistan After Pilot Is Freed The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Archived from the original on 6 March 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Joanna Slater Pamela Constable 27 February 2019 Pakistan captures Indian pilot after shooting down aircraft escalating hostilities Washington Post archived from the original on 15 March 2019 retrieved 30 March 2019 Quote The two days of tit for tat airstrikes the first since 1971 were triggered by a Feb 14 terrorist bombing in Indian controlled Kashmir that killed 40 Indian security personnel DFRLab 28 February 2019 Surgical Strike in Pakistan a Botched Operation Indian jets carried out a strike against JEM targets inside Pakistani territory to questionable effect Medium archived from the original on 4 March 2019 retrieved 5 March 2019 Quote Indian fighter jets carried out strikes against targets inside undisputed Pakistani territory but open source evidence suggested that the strike was unsuccessful Howell Martin Doyle Gerry Scarr Simon 6 March 2019 Satellite images show buildings still standing at Indian bombing site Reuters Archived from the original on 16 March 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 The images produced by Planet Labs Inc a San Francisco based private satellite operator show at least six buildings on the madrasa site on March 4 six days after the airstrike There are no discernible holes in the roofs of buildings no signs of scorching blown out walls displaced trees around the madrasa or other signs of an aerial attack European Space Imaging 8 March 2019 PAKISTAN Satellite Imagery confirms India missed target in Pakistan airstrike archived from the original on 27 March 2019 retrieved 20 April 2019 Quote said Managing Director Adrian Zevenbergen The image captured with Worldiew 2 of the buildings in question shows no evidence of a bombing having occurred There are no signs of scorching no large distinguishable holes in the roofs of buildings and no signs of stress to the surrounding vegetation Hellyer Marcus Ruser Nathan Bachhawat Aakriti 27 March 2019 India s strike on Balakot a very precise miss The Strategist Archived from the original on 12 April 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 But India s recent air strike on a purported Jaish e Mohammad terrorist camp in Balakot in Pakistan on 26 February suggests that precision strike is still an art and science that requires both practice and enabling systems to achieve the intended effect Simply buying precision munitions off the shelf is not enough Sameer Lalwani Emily Tallo 17 April 2019 Did India shoot down a Pakistani F 16 in February This just became a big deal Washington Post Quote Open source satellite imagery suggests India did not hit any targets of consequence in the airstrikes it conducted after the terrorist attack on the paramilitaries Safi Michael Zahra Malik Mehreen 5 March 2019 Kashmir s fog of war how conflicting accounts benefit both sides The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Archived from the original on 5 March 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Analysis of open source satellite imagery has also cast doubt on India s claims A report by the Atlantic Council s Digital Forensic Research Lab was able to geolocate the site of the attack and provide a preliminary damage assessment It compared satellite images from the days before and after India s strike and concluded there were only impacts in the wooded areas with no damage visible to surrounding structures Howell Martin Salahuddin 11 April 2019 Inside the Pakistani madrasa where India said it killed hundreds of terrorists Reuters Retrieved 1 July 2023 Heanue Siobhan 13 April 2019 School or terror training camp The madrasa that brought the world closer to nuclear war ABC News Archived from the original on 13 April 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 It was at the centre of a clash that almost brought two nuclear nations to war but exactly what goes on inside a small madrasa on a hilltop near Kashmir remains a mystery One thing is clear India s claim that it destroyed a militant training camp and killed more than 300 extremists cannot be backed up by the evidence More than a month after India launched airstrikes inside Pakistan in retaliation for a militant attack that killed 40 paramilitary troops in Kashmir foreign media have been allowed to see the areas hit Howell Martin Salahuddin 11 April 2019 Inside the Pakistani madrasa where India said it killed hundreds of terrorists Reuters Retrieved 1 July 2023 Those visiting the site on Wednesday didn t see any signs that there had been significant building work to either clear structures or erect new ones And the vegetation didn t appear to have suffered the stress that might be expected from a missile attack The main madrasa building itself doesn t appear to be reinforced in any major way it has a metal roof with some modest wooden beams Balakot air strike Pakistan shows off disputed site on eve of India election BBC News 10 April 2019 Archived from the original on 11 April 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 They were given access to an Islamic school in Balakot where Indian media say militants were killed in retaliation for an attack in Kashmir The large building appeared to be fully intact Pakistan takes media diplomats on visit to Indian strike site France 24 11 April 2019 Archived from the original on 19 April 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 International outlets which visited the Indian air strike site in Pakistan found no evidence of a major terrorist training camp or of any infrastructure damage at all Heanue Siobhan 13 April 2019 School or terror training camp The madrasa that brought the world closer to nuclear war ABC News Archived from the original on 13 April 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 It was at the centre of a clash that almost brought two nuclear nations to war but exactly what goes on inside a small madrasa on a hilltop near Kashmir remains a mystery One thing is clear India s claim that it destroyed a militant training camp and killed more than 300 extremists cannot be backed up by the evidence More than a month after India launched airstrikes inside Pakistan in retaliation for a militant attack that killed 40 paramilitary troops in Kashmir foreign media have been allowed to see the areas hit A brief history of the Kashmir conflict Daily Telegraph 24 September 2001 ISSN 0307 1235 Archived from the original on 8 January 2019 Retrieved 2 March 2019 Engle Jeremy 6 March 2019 Learning With Why Do India and Pakistan Keep Fighting Over Kashmir The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Archived from the original on 1 July 2023 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Why India and Pakistan dispute Kashmir BBC 27 February 2019 Archived from the original on 24 December 2018 Retrieved 6 March 2019 The Future of Kashmir BBC Archived from the original on 18 November 2018 Retrieved 6 March 2019 Joanna Slater Niha Masih 15 February 2019 Modi vows action after dozens die in deadliest attack in Indian held Kashmir in 3 decades Washington Post archived from the original on 17 February 2019 retrieved 4 April 2019 Quote India and the United States accuse Pakistan of supporting and sheltering militants who launch attacks into Indian held territory something Pakistan denies Zutshi Chitralekha 5 March 2019 Why the Kashmir conflict is not just an India Pakistan border dispute PBS NewsHour Archived from the original on 5 March 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Perrigo Billy 26 February 2019 What to Know About Rising Tensions Between India and Pakistan Time Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 a b Kumar Nikhil 27 February 2019 Why being seen as tough on Pakistan helps India s Modi CNN Archived from the original on 26 February 2019 Retrieved 26 February 2019 a b Pakistan warns India against attacking BBC News 19 February 2019 Archived from the original on 23 February 2019 Retrieved 26 February 2019 Pakistan will address actionable evidence if shared by Delhi PM Khan tells India after Pulwama attack Dawn 19 February 2019 Archived from the original on 24 February 2019 Retrieved 26 February 2019 Gramer Robbie Seligman Lara 27 February 2019 Amid Re Election Campaign Modi Takes the Fight to Pakistan Foreign Policy Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Biswas Soutik 6 March 2019 War and India PM Modi s muscular strongman image BBC News Archived from the original on 6 March 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Das Krishna N Ghoshal Devjyot 26 February 2019 Air strike on Pakistan sparks celebrations in India seen boosting Modi support Reuters Archived from the original on 6 March 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Viewpoint India strikes in Pakistan a major escalation BBC News 26 February 2019 Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 via bbc com Pulwama Attack 2019 everything about J amp K terror attack on CRPF by terrorist Adil Ahmed Dar Jaish e Mohammad India Today Archived from the original on 18 February 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Deadliest Kashmir militant attack on troops BBC 14 February 2019 Archived from the original on 1 March 2019 Retrieved 1 March 2019 IAF struck JeM s biggest training camp at Balakot says Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale on India s operation in Pakistan Firstpost 26 February 2019 Archived from the original on 1 March 2019 Retrieved 1 March 2019 Surgical strike on Pakistan Exact target of IAF operation identified as Jaba Top air force carried out several hits around site Firstpost 26 February 2019 Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 a b Chacko Johann 1 March 2019 Both India and Pakistan may be lying and that may breed worse disasters Quartz India Archived from the original on 2 March 2019 Retrieved 2 March 2019 Indian strikes target militants in Pakistan BBC News 26 February 2019 Archived from the original on 26 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Anderson Claire 27 February 2019 Pakistan defence minister mocked after saying it was Too Dark for airstrike retaliation Daily Express Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 Pakistan trying to hide dead bodies of terrorists in Balakot debunks India s claims Source Business Today 26 February 2019 Archived from the original on 1 March 2019 Retrieved 1 March 2019 a b Swami Praveen 1 March 2019 Property records nail Pakistani lie on Jaish e Mohammed HQ in Bahawalpur finds Firstpost investigation Firstpost Archived from the original on 6 March 2019 Retrieved 2 March 2019 a b c d India Pakistan Kashmir fighting sees Indian aircraft downed BBC News 27 February 2019 Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 No blood No bodies No debris No tragedy The Express Tribune 27 February 2019 Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 a b c d Shahzad Asif Naqash Abu Arqam 1 March 2019 Pakistani village asks Where are bodies of militants India says it bombed Reuters Archived from the original on 2 March 2019 Retrieved 2 March 2019 a b c Hashim Asad 28 February 2019 At raid site no casualties and a mysterious school Al Jazeera Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 Reuters team prevented for third time from climbing hill to madrasa site in Balakot The Hindu 8 March 2019 ISSN 0971 751X Archived from the original on 31 March 2019 Retrieved 20 July 2021 Abi Habib Maria Ramzy Austin 26 February 2019 Indian Jets Strike in Pakistan in Revenge for Kashmir Attack The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Archived from the original on 27 May 2023 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Ruser Nathan 1 March 2019 Did Balakot Airstrikes Hit Their Target Satellite Imagery Raises Doubts The Wire Archived from the original on 2 March 2019 Retrieved 2 March 2019 a b Eyewitnesses say Indian air strike on Balakot killed terrorists former ISI agents cnbctv18 com 2 March 2019 Archived from the original on 6 March 2019 Retrieved 2 March 2019 Safi Michael Zahra Malik Mehreen 5 March 2019 Kashmir s fog of war how conflicting accounts benefit both sides The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Archived from the original on 5 March 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Surgical Strike in Pakistan a Botched Operation DFRLab 28 February 2019 Archived from the original on 4 March 2019 Retrieved 5 March 2019 Slater Joanna 1 March 2019 In crisis with Pakistan India s Modi keeps eye on elections The Washington Post Archived from the original on 6 March 2019 Retrieved 5 March 2019 Gurung Shaurya Karanbir 29 March 2019 A month after Indian air strike Pakistan takes journalists to Balakot site The Economic Times Foreign journalists given access to madressah near site of Balakot strike DAWN COM 10 April 2019 43 Days After Balakot Air Strike by IAF Pakistan Takes Media Team And Diplomats to Site News18 10 April 2019 Heavy firing by Pakistan along LoC Army strongly retaliates Hindustan Times 26 February 2019 Archived from the original on 26 February 2019 Retrieved 26 February 2019 a b Naqash Tariq 27 February 2019 4 AJK civilians dead 11 wounded in indiscriminate Indian shelling across LoC DAWN COM Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Naqash Abu Arqam Miglani Sanjeev 26 February 2019 India launches air strike in Pakistan Islamabad denies militant camp hit Reuters Archived from the original on 26 February 2019 Retrieved 26 February 2019 India Pakistan reportedly exchange heavy fire on Line of Control USD INR may extend gains FXStreet Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Mughal Roshan Hussain Aijaz 2 March 2019 8 killed in India Pakistan fighting after return of downed Indian fighter pilot ChicagoTribune Archived from the original on 2 March 2019 Retrieved 3 March 2019 a b Gurung Shaurya Karanbir 7 March 2019 Army uses Bofors guns to respond to border shelling by Pakistan The Economic Times Pakistan had no choice but to respond says DG ISPR The Nation 27 February 2019 Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Safi Michael Zahra Malik Mehreen 28 February 2019 India demands safe return of pilot shot down by Pakistan over Kashmir The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Hashim Asad 27 February 2019 Pakistan shoots down two Indian fighter jets Military Al Jazeera Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 2 Indian aircraft violating Pakistani airspace shot down pilot arrested DAWN COM 27 February 2019 Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 Regan Helen Kumar Nikhil Raja Adeel Gupta Swati 28 February 2019 Pakistan says it shot down two Indian jets as Kashmir border crisis deepens CNN Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 2 Indian aircraft violating Pakistani airspace shot down 2 pilots arrested DAWN COM 27 February 2019 Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Pakistan claims IAF s Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in its custody releases video India Today Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Joshi Sameer 7 April 2019 In PAF lies amp subterfuge an F 16 tail number amp a PAF pilot both hidden to serve a myth The Print Retrieved 20 July 2021 With radar images IAF proves F 16 was shot down exposes Pakistan Business Standard India 8 April 2019 Retrieved 20 July 2021 Sharan Sunil 1 May 2019 The mystery of the missing F 16 Times of India Blog Archived from the original on 2 May 2019 Retrieved 20 July 2021 Daniel S Markey January 27th 2022 The Strategic Implications of India s Illiberalism and Democratic Erosion pg 100 101 The National Bureau of Asian Research Article in Asia Policy 17 1 Free Article Access Link Archived Version of Free Access Link Retrieved January 29th 2022 Pandit Rajat Parashar Sachin 28 February 2019 Tension in the air IAF PAF lose a jet each pilot in Pakistan custody The Times of India Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 We are on heightened state of readiness Defence forces The Economic Times Retrieved 5 April 2019 Pakistan jets violate Indian airspace in Kashmir s Nowshera drop bombs The Week Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Indian pilot missing in action IAF shoots down Pakistan s jet What we know so far The Times of India Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Pakistani jets cross LoC Indian Air Force takes down one F 16 India Today Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 a b Statement by Official Spokesperson on 27 February 2019 mea gov in Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Khan Muhammad Ilyas 28 February 2019 Abhinandan Villagers recount dramatic capture of pilot BBC News Archived from the original on 1 March 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 India Denies Any of Its Jets Shot Down by Pakistan Outlook India Kirti Sumedha ed 27 February 2019 India Pak Tensions LIVE IAF Wing Commander Missing After MiG 21 Crash Pakistan Claims He is in Their Custody Says Govt News18 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Abi Habib Maria Kumar Hari 27 February 2019 Pakistani Military Says It Downed Two Indian Warplanes Capturing Pilot The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Archived from the original on 2 March 2019 Retrieved 2 March 2019 Pakistan will release Indian Pilot Abhinandan tomorrow as a gesture of peace Prime Minister Imran Khanpic twitter com 6aUN4S9JVb pid gov 28 February 2019 Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 Pakistan to free Indian pilot on Friday BBC 28 February 2019 Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 No goodwill gesture to return pilot Abhinandan was expected under Geneva Conventions says IAF India Today 28 February 2019 Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 1 March 2019 Roy Debayan 1 March 2019 Did Geneva Conventions Make Pakistan Release IAF Pilot or Was it A Peace Gesture News18 Explains News18 Archived from the original on 2 March 2019 Retrieved 1 March 2019 Captured IAF pilot handed over to Delhi as peace gesture Dawn 1 March 2019 Archived from the original on 1 March 2019 Retrieved 1 March 2019 Safi Michael 1 March 2019 Pakistan returns Indian pilot shot down over Kashmir in peace gesture The Guardian ISSN 0261 3077 Archived from the original on 2 March 2019 Retrieved 2 March 2019 Pakistan hands back captured Indian pilot BBC 1 March 2019 Archived from the original on 2 March 2019 Retrieved 2 March 2019 Pakistan Navy claims it thwarted Indian submarine from entering its waters Hindustan Times 5 March 2019 Archived from the original on 5 March 2019 Retrieved 5 March 2019 Pakistan claims it chased away Indian Navy submarine releases video India Today 5 March 2019 Archived from the original on 5 March 2019 Retrieved 5 March 2019 Siddiqui Naveed 5 March 2019 Pakistan Navy foils attempt by Indian submarine to enter Pakistani waters Dawn Archived from the original on 5 March 2019 Retrieved 5 March 2019 Pakistan s claims on Indian submarine false propaganda Navy The Times of India 5 March 2019 Retrieved 5 March 2019 Thousands stranded in Thailand a day after Pakistan closes airspace DAWN COM 28 February 2019 Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 Qazi Hassan Sirajuddin 27 February 2019 Pakistani airspace to remain closed till Thursday midnight DAWN Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 Pakistan C A A 27 February 2019 Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan has officially closed its airspace until further notice amp issued NOTAM pic twitter com qGZBMiKxvG AirportPakistan Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 1 March 2019 India Pakistan tensions force airlines to cancel and reroute flights DW 28 02 2019 Deutsche Welle Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 https www caapakistan com pk upload Notams A210 19 txt permanent dead link Notices to Airmen NOTAMS www caapakistan com pk Pakistan closes its airspace till March 11 Daily Times 9 March 2019 Retrieved 10 March 2019 Haidar Suhasini Chandra Jagriti 2 April 2019 Pakistan airspace closure hits Afghan Kazakh Russian airlines The Hindu Archived from the original on 3 April 2019 Retrieved 3 April 2019 Chandra Jagriti 29 May 2019 Pakistan extends ban on use of its airspace for flights till June 15 The Hindu Retrieved 29 May 2019 Pakistan airspace closure costs over 548 crore to Indian airlines Livemint 4 July 2019 Staff Reporter 16 July 2019 Pakistan reopens airspace for all civilian traffic Indian flights to operate soon The Hindu Retrieved 16 July 2019 Normal air traffic resumes as India follows Pakistan lifts ban on airspace India Today Peri Dinakar 24 June 2019 Did not let tensions with Pakistan dictate our civil aviation Air Chief The Hindu Retrieved 16 July 2019 Normal air traffic resumes as India follows Pakistan lifts ban on airspace India Today 16 July 2019 Retrieved 16 July 2019 Pakistan lost millions in airspace closure post Balakot strike Here s how countries earn from thin air The Times of India Retrieved 16 July 2019 Pakistan reopens airspace for civillian sic traffic 140 days after Balakot airstrike India Today 16 July 2019 Retrieved 16 July 2019 LIVE Pakistan suspends cross border Samjhauta Express Moneycontrol com 28 February 2019 Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 Amid tensions with India Pakistan suspends Samjhauta Express India Today 28 February 2019 Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 Samjhauta Express train resumes operation today The Nation 4 March 2019 Archived from the original on 4 March 2019 Retrieved 4 March 2019 a b c Hashim Asad 5 March 2019 Pakistan arrests scores in fresh crackdown on armed groups Al Jazeera Archived from the original on 6 March 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 Gul Ayaz 22 March 2019 Pakistani PM Receives National Day Greetings from Indian Counterpart VOA Retrieved 1 July 2023 Pakistan welcomes India s peace offer Pakistan Today www pakistantoday com pk Akhtar Rais Kirk William Jammu and Kashmir State India Encyclopaedia Britannica retrieved 7 August 2019 subscription required Quote Jammu and Kashmir state of India located in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent in the vicinity of the Karakoram and westernmost Himalayan mountain ranges The state is part of the larger region of Kashmir which has been the subject of dispute between India Pakistan and China since the partition of the subcontinent in 1947 Farmer Ben 15 August 2019 Five killed as Pakistan and India trade fire amid Kashmir tension The Telegraph a b Two killed in first Kashmir gun battle since lockdown began Al Jazeera 18 terrorists killed JeM launch pads destroyed in artillery strikes by Army in PoK Reports The Statesman 23 October 2019 Retrieved 1 July 2023 India Pakistan came close to a nuclear war claims former U S Secretary of State in new book The Hindu 24 January 2023 ISSN 0971 751X Retrieved 25 January 2023 Australia Asks India Pak To Exercise Restraint Engage In Dialogue Outlook 26 February 2019 Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 Canada calls for de escalation between India and Pakistan canada ca 27 February 2019 Archived from the original on 3 March 2019 Retrieved 3 March 2019 China goes soft on Pakistan says it has always opposed terrorism India Today 27 February 2019 Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Khaliq Riyaz ul 28 February 2019 Indonesia calls on India Pakistan to reduce tensions Anadolu Agency Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 Malaysia expresses concern over India Pakistan tensions Bernama The Edge Markets 27 February 2019 Archived from the original on 1 March 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Ensure stability of entire region SL tells India Pakistan Daily Mirror 27 February 2019 Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Calls PM Modi Imran Khan Amid Rising Tensions NDTV 28 February 2019 Archived from the original on 1 March 2019 Concern Regarding India Pakistan Tensions U S Department of State Archived from the original on 27 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Iran offers mediation between Pakistan and India amid rising tensions Samaa TV Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 27 February 2019 Turkey offers mediation between Pakistan India as tensions escalate The Express Tribune 27 February 2019 Archived from the original on 28 February 2019 Retrieved 28 February 2019 Notes Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 2019 India Pakistan border skirmishes amp oldid 1171944835, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.