India today carried out strikes on Pakistan and its part of Kashmir, with Islamabad calling the move a “blatant act of war“. Tensions between the two nuclear-armed warlords have risen sharply after a deadly attack on tourists in the Delhi-administered sector of Kashmir, BTA writes, citing "Reuters".
OPERATION “SINDUR“
Delhi said that an operation codenamed “Sindur“ hit Pakistani targets from where attacks on India were being directed. An Indian army spokesman said that these sites were providing “terrorist infrastructure“ and added that they had already been completely destroyed.
Sindoor is a reddish powder used by married Indian women. The name of the operation has a symbolic meaning, relating to the women who lost their husbands in the April 22 attack, which killed 25 men, most of them Hindus.
Islamabad said the Indian army had carried out more than 20 strikes on six Pakistani targets, including dams and hydroelectric facilities. The Pakistani army vowed to respond to the attack.
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE INDIAN ATTACK
A Pakistani army spokesman told Reuters that five Indian warplanes had been shot down before they entered Pakistani airspace. India has not yet confirmed the information.
Four local government sources in Indian-administered Kashmir told Reuters that three planes crashed in different parts of the Himalayas overnight and that their pilots survived and were hospitalized.
There was intense shelling between the two armies in various areas along the de facto India-Pakistan border that runs through Kashmir.
CASTOMPLINGS
Pakistan said 26 civilians were killed and 46 were injured in the attack. India reported seven civilian deaths and 35 injuries in shelling from the Pakistani side.
AIR TRAFFIC IMPACT
India closed several airports and airlines „Air India“ (Air India), “Akasa Air“ (Akasa Air), “Indigo“ (Indigo) and “Spicejet“ (Spicejet) have canceled flights.
Qatar Airlines has temporarily suspended its flights to Pakistan.
Thai airline “Thai Airways“ (Thai Airways) said it would use alternative routes for flights to Europe and South Asia.
Pakistan International Airlines said it had diverted its flights to Karachi and that scheduled flights had been temporarily suspended.
CIVILIANS AFFECTED
A state of emergency has been declared in the eastern Pakistani province of Punjab and hospitals and security forces are on high alert.
Power in the capital of Pakistani Kashmir - Muzaffarabad - was temporarily cut off after explosions rocked the city.
Schools in most of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir were closed today.