Artillery assault on launch pads The Statesman 29 Oct 19
https://epaper.thestatesman.com/2392479/Kolkata-The-Statesman/29TH-OCTOBER-2019#page/7
Artillery assault on launch pads 29 Oct 19
Last week after Pakistan resorted to ceasefire violations aimed at pushing terrorists into India, leading to the death of two soldiers and one civilian in the Tangadhar sector, the Indian army retaliated employing high calibre artillery. The Indian artillery barrage destroyed terrorist launch pads in POK located in Jura, Athmuqam and Kundalsahi. The firing also targeted Pakistan posts which were actively supporting infiltration by resorting to ceasefire violations. Multiple artillery units were involved from different sectors and caused mayhem on the Pak side.
As per General Bipin Rawat, Indian army chief, there were five to six Pakistani army personnel killed and possibly similar number of terrorists. There were also six civilian casualties. Another report from an independent source with connections to POK, states that casualty figures amongst Pak soldiers and terrorists were much higher, with many injured succumbing to their injuries.
Pakistan newspapers presented a reverse story. They claimed that India launched the strike without any provocation and in retaliation India lost nine soldiers. The Pak Dawn Newspaper headline read, ‘India pounds AJK villages, loses nine troops in reprisal.’ It also rejected Indian claims of destroying terrorist launchpads. The Pak newspaper, The News International headlined, ‘Modi unleashes undeclared war on Pakistan.’ It forgets Indian democracy can never hide casualties.
The Pak DG ISPR even posted a video on twitter displaying some soldiers carrying a white flag seeking to retrieve bodies, claiming it to be Indian. Ironically, this was the incident of 15 Sept, when Pak army men carried white flags to retrieve two bodies of soldiers killed in Indian retaliatory firing.
In desperation, seeking to prove that Pak was serious on following the FATF guidelines and was not supporting terrorist groups, the Pak army took a few pro-Pak members of diplomatic corps posted in Islamabad to Nauseri, Shahkot and Jura sectors near the LoC. The diplomats were briefed by the Pakistan Director General Inter Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), who stated that the Pakistan Army follows military norms and only targets Indian posts.
Pak aiming to prove was that its forces only target Indian army posts and there were no terrorist launchpads while majority casualties in the Indian firing were civilians. It ignored the dozens of Kashmiri casualties in its ceasefire violations.
As part of its perception management game, the DG ISPR also requested Indian officials to provide exact coordinates of terrorist launch pads so that envoys could be taken there. They also invited members of the Indian High Commission to accompany the diplomats. India neither reacted to Pak’s attempted propaganda game nor were part of the visit. This was subsequently projected Pak in media networks including social media that Indian claims were wrong and there were no launch pads.
Pak was attempting to treat launch pads and terrorist training camps at the same level. The reality is that both are vastly different.
Training camps are partially permanent structures as they cater for terrorists residing there for some time. They also need training infrastructure for training. Launch pads are not permanent structures like buildings nor are they always at the same location. They are temporary in nature and shift as per requirement.
They could either be just a tent, a hut or even an out of use bunker. They are occupied by terrorists at the last stage of the infiltration process and are close to the border. These may be occupied for one or two nights at the maximum. They are regularly changed based on area of infiltration and to avoid detection.
There are occasions when these are located close to villages to prevent them from being targeted as also to cover increase in population in the area as these remain under constant surveillance This specifically happens when numbers to be infiltrated are large as was evident in this case, due to which there was collateral civilian damage.
Hence, when Pak asked Indian authorities for exact coordinates, it was futile as such temporary camps can be dismantled in minutes and casualties within disposed of immediately as Pak had done in the earlier surgical and Balakote strikes. Further even accompanying the delegation would have had no value. Thus, correctly India rejected all Pak provocations.
In this specific case, reports indicated that there are about 100 terrorists ready for infiltration into India. In these camps there was the first lot of 15 to 20 terrorists. With winter around the bend and the first snow falls having occurred, Pak is under pressure. Soon induction into the valley would become difficult. There were also reports that these terrorists were Taliban fighters who were tasked to target security personnel and train locals in militancy.
These areas were monitored and the pattern of movement within them studied and analysed. Monitoring of the post-strike damage assessment employing the same sources confirmed that Pakistan rushed ambulances to remove the dead and injured. The District Commissioner (DC) of Muzaffarabad in POK in an official statement released six civilian casualties, while the Pak DG ISPR stated three. DG ISPR was subsequently forced to change his figures. The DC also threatened to release army casualty details but was prevented by the Pak army.
The Indian artillery strike was aimed at warning Pak that its actions are being monitored and all its attempts would be thwarted, with force if necessary. India would not be concerned on collateral casualties. The Indian action has shaken the Pak army and terrorists and would enhance caution for some time, before they attempt infiltration again.
Indian opposition members questioned the timing of this strike, claimed such strikes before an election could impact votes. However, it is Pak which chooses when to infiltrate terrorists, not India. Hence, strikes coincide with Pak attempts to infiltrate.
Pak attempted through social media and by taking friendly diplomats to places of their choosing that Indian actions were illegal. It sought to mix concept of training camps with launch pads only to confuse the issue. It failed as world media ignored its fake attempts. Another Pak attempt to fool the world and project its innocence failed.
About the Author
Maj Gen Harsha Kakkar
Retired Major General Indian Army