Less than two weeks after the militant attack in Uri, India has confirmed that surgical strikes have been carried out against the line of control. Here's Indian Army's Director General of Military Operations, Lt General Ranbir Singh's full statement on the operations:
It has been a matter of serious concern that there has been continuing and increasing infiltration by terrorists across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. This is reflected in the terrorist attacks in Poonch and Uri sectors on 11 and 18 September respectively. Almost 20 infiltration attacks have also been foiled by the Army successfully during this year.
During these terrorist attacks and infiltration attempts, we have recovered items including Global Positioning Systems and stores with Pakistani markings. Further, captured terrorists hailing from Pakistan or Pakistan Occupied Kashmir have confessed to their training and arming in Pakistan or territory under the control of Pakistan. The matter has been taken up at the highest diplomatic levels and military channels regularly. India has also offered consular access to the apprehended terrorists to Pakistan to verify their confessions. Furthermore, we had proposed that fingerprints and DNA samples of terrorists who had been killed in the Uri and Poonch encounters can also be made available to Pakistan for investigations.
Despite our persistent urging that Pakistan respect its commitment made in January 2004 not to allow its soil or territory under its control to be used for terrorism against India, there has been no let-up in infiltration or terrorist actions inside our territory. If the damage was limited, it has been primarily due to the efforts of the soldiers of Indian army deployed in our multi-tiered counter-infiltration grid and most of them have been foiled in close locations. The Indian armed forces have been extremely vigilant in the face of this continuing threat.
Based on very specific and credible information we have received that some terrorist teams have positioned themselves at launch pads along the Line of Control with an aim to carry out infiltration and terrorist strikes inside Jammu and Kashmir and various other metros in our country. The Indian Army conducted surgical strikes last night at these launch pads. The operations were focused on ensuring that these terrorists do not succeed in their design of infiltration and carrying out destruction, endangering the lives of the citizens of our country.
During these counter-terrorist operations, significant casualties have been caused to the terrorists and those trying to support them. The operations aimed at neutralizing terrorists have since ceased. We do not have any plans for further continuation of the operations. However, the Indian Armed Forces are fully prepared for any contingency that may arise.
I have just spoken to the Pakistan Army's Director General of Military Operations and explained our concerns and also shared with him the operations we conducted last night. It is India's intention to maintain peace and tranquility in the region. But we can certainly not allow the terrorists to operate across the Line of Control with impunity and attack the citizens of our country. In line with Pakistan's commitment made in January 2004 not to allow its soil or territory under its control for any terrorist activities against India, we expect the Pakistani army to cooperate with us with the view to erase the menace of terrorism from our region.
Thank you very much.