[Source / Observer Network, Xiong Chaoyan] In recent days, the situation between India and Pakistan has remained tense, and now it seems to be heading towards further escalation.

At around midnight on May 7 local time, India stated that its air force had launched "Operation Sindoor" (Operation Sindoor), attacking "terrorist facilities" in Pakistan and targeting nine locations in Pakistan (five of which are in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir). Pakistan claimed that, "in self-defense," six Indian military aircraft were shot down, including three French-made "Rafale" fighter jets.

According to reports from The Indian Express and India's NDTV, at around 10:20 a.m. local time on May 7, Vikram Misri (Vikram Misri), Secretary of India's Ministry of External Affairs, held a government press conference to introduce the relevant details of "Operation Sindoor."

Screenshot of the government press conference held by India on May 7 local time.

First Mentioned the Trigger for This Round of Escalation Between India and Pakistan

Vikram Misri first mentioned the terrorist attack incident that occurred on April 22 in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region. In this incident, suspected armed militants fired at tourists in the area, resulting in at least 26 deaths and dozens of injuries.

Vikram Misri accused that after investigation, this incident was related to Pakistan, which has long "supported cross-border terrorism activities," and believed that it was crucial to strike against Pakistan and curb any terrorist activities initiated by it. He stated that this incident caused 26 deaths, 25 of whom were Indian citizens and one Nepalese citizen, and this attack "angered the entire country of India," being the deadliest civilian casualty incident since the Mumbai terrorist attack in 2008.

India Accuses: Terrorist Attack Related to Pakistan

After the incident, an extremist organization called "Kashmir Resistance" (Kashmir Resistance) claimed responsibility for this attack on social media platforms. Previously, India's security agencies claimed that this organization was actually a branch of the extremist organization "Lashkar-e-Taiba" (Lashkar-e-Taiba) in Pakistan.

Vikram Misri also stated at the press conference that the extremist organization "Kashmir Resistance" was related to "Lashkar-e-Taiba," and after investigation, India believed that Pakistan was also involved in this attack and accused Pakistan of becoming a "haven for terrorists in the world."

India: "Operation Sindoor" is the Exercise of "Right to Self-Defense"

"Our intelligence agencies monitoring terrorist activities found that India might suffer more attacks, and we believe that stopping and striking these attacks is crucial." Vikram Misri claimed that India launched "Operation Sindoor" at around midnight on May 7 local time to exercise the "right to self-defense" against previous terrorist attacks and preemptively stop more such cross-border terrorist attacks.

At the press conference, Colonel Vyomika Singh (Vyomika Singh) of the Indian Air Force introduced that "Operation Sindoor" began at around 1:05 a.m. and lasted for about 25 minutes.

India claims that the airstrikes killed over 70 terrorists and injured more than 60 others, severely weakening the combat capabilities of these extremist organizations.

Indian airstrikes targeted nine locations in Pakistan on the morning of May 7 local time. The Indian Express

"Nine Strike Targets, All Terrorist Bases"

Colonel Vyomika Singh and another co-hosting Colonel Sofiya Quershi (Sofiya Quershi) of the Indian Army further introduced that in "Operation Sindoor," the Indian Armed Forces struck nine "terrorist targets" in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir to avenge those who died in previous terrorist attacks. These targets were selected based on reliable intelligence information, and the selection of these sites fully considered the lives and safety of civilians.

India claims that the Indian Armed Forces conducted 24 precise missile strikes on these nine targets, which are major headquarters of extremist organizations "Lashkar-e-Taiba" and "Jaish-e-Mohammed." They explained their importance. For example, the Sawainala camp located within Pakistan, about 30 kilometers from the Line of Control between India and Pakistan, is one of the core training bases of "Lashkar-e-Taiba"; the Sayedna Bilal camp in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir is a gathering point and weapons ammunition center for "Jaish-e-Mohammed."

In addition, India claims that in other targets that were struck, there were also terrorists trained for other terrorist attacks.

Previously reported

On the early morning of May 7 local time, the Press Information Bureau of India issued a statement saying that the Indian Air Force launched "Operation Sindoor," attacking "terrorist facilities" in Pakistan and targeting nine locations in Pakistan (five of which are in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir). "Our actions are targeted, measured, and non-escalatory. Pakistani military facilities were not targeted."

According to a report by Pakistan's Dawn newspaper on May 7 local time, Major General Ahmed Sherif Chaudhry, Director of Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations Bureau (ISPR), said at a press conference held on the same morning that India's attacks on six regions of Pakistan had resulted in at least 26 civilian deaths and at least 46 civilian injuries. Pakistan also claimed that among the civilians killed and injured, there were many women and children, including "two three-year-old girls" and "at least seven women" who died in the attacks.

On May 7 local time, Karachi, Pakistan, people read newspapers with headlines about the recent tensions between India and Pakistan. Visual China

According to a report by CNN, Pakistan's security sources revealed that Pakistani forces "in self-defense" shot down three French-made "Rafale" fighter jets, one Su-30 fighter jet, and one MiG-29 fighter jet. Additionally, India's "Herons" drone was also shot down. Another senior Pakistani government official confirmed this list. Meanwhile, Major General Ahmed Sherif Chaudhry also confirmed the above information.

The report states that this is India's most severe loss in decades and could further escalate tensions. India has not yet responded.

India's NDTV previously cited sources as stating that Indian forces indeed deployed "Rafale" fighters during this airstrike, using "Storm Shadow" cruise missiles to attack targets in Pakistan.

According to military observers from the Observer Network, based on currently circulating videos of crash debris filmed in Kalan village, Punjab, India, it can be confirmed that there are French-made "Mica" air-to-air missiles and their launchers in the wreckage, which can be used for "Rafale" and Mirage 2000 fighter jets; additionally, there is疑似French-made M53 turbofan engines used for Mirage 2000 fighter jets in the wreckage.

Engine comparison image

Missile and launcher comparison image

Pakistan's Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Talal, responded to the BBC on May 7 local time, stating that India had "crossed the line." "This attack makes no sense and is absolutely blind aggression," Talal said. "Of course, we will retaliate... We will respond from both ground and air." Meanwhile, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry stated in a declaration that Pakistan had notified the United Nations Security Council and reserved the right to appropriately respond to India's aggressive actions.

This article is an exclusive article by the Observer Network and cannot be reprinted without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7501608237956760118/

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