Balakot airstrike anniversary: How India planned perfect retaliation after brutal Pulwama attack in 2019
The Balakot airstrike was conducted on February 26, 2019 just mere days after the Pulwama attack in India, which claimed the lives of 46 CRPF personnel.
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| Edited By: DNA Web Team |Source: DNA Web Desk |Updated: Feb 26, 2023, 07:19 AM IST
February 26, 2023 marks the fourth anniversary of the Balakot airstrike carried out in 2019 in retaliation to the brutal and deadly Pulwama attack against India, which claimed the lives of 46 Central Reserve Police Force personnel, along with the attacker.
In an effort to avenge the deaths of the CRPF jawans in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama, the Indian Air Force carried out a bombing raid in Pakistan’s Balakot area on February 26, 2019 against terrorist camps which were situated in the area.
The Indian government confirmed the Balakot airstrike on February 27, saying that the air bombings by Indian fighter jets led to the deaths of a large number of terrorists who had been setting up camp in the Balakot area of Pakistan.
Why did India launch Balakot airstrike?
The Balakot airstrike against Pakistani terrorists was launched after India was left shocked by the attack carried out in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama area, which led to the deaths of 46 CRFP personnel. The Pulwama attack 2019 was carried out on February 14 by a suicide bomber, and Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the same.
In retaliation to the Pulwama attacks and a tribute to the martyred CRPF personnel, the Indian government planned the Balakot airstrike against Pakistani terrorists, which allegedly claimed the lives of many terrorists in the area.
What happened during Balakot airstrike?
In the early hours of February 26, Indian Air Force fighter jets crossed the border in the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir and dropped bombs in a small town in Pakistan’s Balakot, launching a strike against the alleged terrorist camps set up in the area.
A total of 12 Mirage 2000 jets carried out the Balakot airstrike against Pakistani terrorists, while one jet was shot down by Pakistan Air Force, and the pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman, was taken prisoner by the Pakistani government. Varthaman was later released and allowed to cross the border into India.