The Indian Army said it launched “precision strikes” against four targets in Pakistan, plus five on the Pakistani side of the disputed Kashmir region. The Indian Defense Ministry described these targets as “terrorist hideouts” belonging to three groups that could be linked to the savage April 22 terrorist attack on the tourist haven of Pahalgam in Indian Kashmir. “We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable,” the Defense Ministry said. The name of the operation, sindoor, was taken from a red cosmetic powder used in traditional Indian weddings — a reference to the innocent honeymooning tourists who were murdered in Pahalgam.
India released a detailed description of the nine sites it attacked and its rationale for choosing each one. The sites were allegedly controlled by three different terrorist organization: Jaish-e-Mohammed (JM), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), and the prime suspect in the Pahalgam massacre, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LT). In response to Pakistan’s complaint that some of India’s bombs struck mosques, India confirmed that it targeted mosques and madrassas (Islamic religious schools) that were headquarters for “training and indoctrination” by the terrorist groups. The Indian government pointed out that one of the madrassas used as a training camp by LT was funded by Osama bin Laden, the late founder of al-Qaeda and mastermind of the 9/11 attack on America. (Read More)
