Pakistan has said its air force shot down two Indian fighter jets on Wednesday morning and claims to have captured two Indian Air Force pilots. Pakistan’s military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said one of the pilots is in hospital.
The Pakistan Army has also released a video that shows a blindfolded man, identifying himself as a Wing Commander-rank IAF officer and his service number. Then, he asks, “Am I with the Pakistani Army”.
Indian officials have confirmed the possibility of pilots being held by Pakistan.
The captured IAF pilot is reported to have been part of the Combat Air Patrol (CAP) that engaged the on-coming Pakistani fighters. Radio Pakistan also released visuals of the captured pilot through its twitter handle.
There was no official word from New Delhi on the pilot’s capture.
Major General Asif Ghafoor alleged in a tweet that two Indian Air Force jets had crossed the line of control this morning and were shot down. The tweet came hours after the Pakistan foreign ministry claimed to have carried out strikes at a location in Jammu and Kashmir from within Pakistani airspace.
Ghafoor also said Indian Air Force planes “strayed into Pakistani airspace” after Pakistan carried out airstrikes.
Indian defence sources have confirmed that Pakistan Air Force jets violated Indian airspace this morning and said they were chased away.
The Pakistan strike component comprised 12 fighters- Four Mirages, Four F-16 and Four JF-17 fighters. The Indian Air Force too had sent 12 fighters to hit the JeM training camp.
“The Pakistan air assault came through Kalal area in Rajouri District. They tried to target a forward ammunition depot, an army installation,” a senior official in the security establishment who did not want to be named said and added that “the Indian Air Force engaged the oncoming fighters.”
The air space violation by Pakistani jets comes a day after Indian Air Force jets flew across the Line of Control to blow up Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest terror camp.
Tensions have been elevated since a suicide car bombing by Pakistan-based terrorists killed at least 40 CRPF jawans on February 14. On Tuesday, the Indian Air Force bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad’s biggest training base in Pakistan.
