It’s been three years now ever since India conducted its historic ‘Surgical Strike’ against militant launch pads across the Line of Control in Pakistani-administered Kashmir in retaliation to “the deadliest attack on security forces in Kashmir in two decades”.
On 18 September, four militants attacked Indian Army brigade headquarters in Uri, near the Line of Control in a pre-dawn ambush, which killed nineteen Indian Army soldiers. Most of the soldiers killed were from the 10th battalion, Dogra Regiment (10 Dogra) and 6th battalion, Bihar Regiment (6 Bihar). It was Jaish-e-Mohammad Fidayeen group of Pakistan who planned the attack.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted on the day of Uri attack, “I assure the nation that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished.”
The then Minister of Defence Manohar Parrikar and Indian Army chief General Dalbir Singh visited Kashmir soon after the attack to assess the ongoing military operations and review the security situation in the region. He directed the army to take firm action against those responsible for the attack and also stated that the deaths of the soldiers “will not go in vain.”
Finally, eleven days after the attack, on September 28 the Indian Army conducted retaliatory “surgical strikes” on what it termed “launch-pads” used by militants in Pakistan administered Kashmir. The commandos were airdropped at the LoC, from where they crossed over to the Pakistani side.
India claims that during the surgical strike 7 military launch pads with 38 terrorists and 2 Pakistani soldiers were killed and destroyed.
Surgical strikes are military operations undertaken by forces across the world to move on the offensive, hit enemy targets and installations, and return to primary positions, all with lightning speed and with the added precaution of suffering a limited casualty.
