New Delhi: Everybody knows the story of how Indian Air Force struck the terror camps of Jaish-e-Mohammad in the wee hours of February 26 and came back successful. Everybody also knows about Pakistan’s retaliation the next day.
But now new revelations from government sources explains how the Pakistani attack failed miserably when the IAF countered the enemy effectively resulting in a quick withdrawal of Pak jets.
According to the sources, the Pakistanis were planning a heavy onslaught on Indian military installations much like the Balakot airstrikes. The Pak attack party consisted of around 20 jets led by the US F-16s and supported by French Mirage-III jets and Chinese JF-17 fighter jets.
The fighters armed with 11 H-4 bombs fired from 50 kms at three Indian military locations. In spite of firing 1000 kgs, none hit any of the targets. One target had the covering of a tall and thick tree which was destroyed in the firing.
Senior officers were present at the facility when the attack occurred.
Government sources say that one of the reasons that the attack failed was the sudden and quick response of Indian jets which intercepted the highly prepared Pakistani attack party.
Pakistani jets flattered in front of Indian MiG-21 Bison jets, one of them piloted by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. In the hurry to fire the targets under heavy counter attack by Indian jets, the Pakistani pilots missed the targets.
The Pakistani jets released around 1000 kgs of bomb and quickly fled fearing strong Indian response. In the mayhem one of the F-16s was shot down by MiG-21 Bison piloted by Abhinandan and fell on the Pakistani side of the border.
Pakistan tried to attack Indian military installations in retaliation of Indian airstrikes against Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist camps in Balakot on February 26. India had conducted the successful airstrikes to avenge the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF soldiers were martyred.
India destroyed the terror camps also as a preemptive strike to stop further attacks from the terrorist organization.
