Pakistan shoots down two Indian fighter jets: Military

Editor | February 27, 2019 | Middle East | No Comments

Pakistan says it carried out air raids in Indian-administered Kashmir and shot down two Indian jets in its own airspace, capturing two pilots as tensions escalate a day after India bombed targets in Pakistan.

Indian air force planes strayed into Pakistani airspace on Wednesday after Pakistan carried out six air strikes in Indian-occupied Kashmir, said Major General Asif Ghafoor, a spokesman for the Pakistani army.

“This was not a retaliation in true sense, but to tell Pakistan has capability, we can do it, but we want to be responsible, we don’t want an escalation, we don’t want a war,” he told a news conference.

One of the aircraft fell inside Indian-administered Kashmir, while the second came down in Pakistani territory, he added.

At the briefing, Ghafoor produced weapons and identity documents he alleged were carried by the Indian pilots.

In a separate statement, Pakistan’s foreign ministry said it had hit a “non-military” target inside Indian-administered Kashmir, but that it had avoided human loss and collateral damage.

“If India is striking at so called terrorist backers without a shred of evidence, we also retain reciprocal rights to retaliate against elements that enjoy Indian patronage while carrying out acts of terror in Pakistan,” the statement said.

The development comes as Indian officials said at least three Pakistani combat jets entered the airspace over Indian-administered Kashmir on Wednesday but returned after being intercepted by Indian planes.

Repeated called to a spokesman for India’s defence ministry went unanswered on Wednesday.

In response to PAF strikes this morning as released by MoFA, IAF crossed LOC. PAF shot down two Indian aircrafts inside Pakistani airspace. One of the aircraft fell inside AJ&K while other fell inside IOK. One Indian pilot arrested by troops on ground while two in the area.

— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 27, 2019

Police officials in Indian-administered Kashmir said that two pilots and a civilian had died after an Indian air force plane crashed in Kashmir, but did not confirm if the plane had been shot down by Pakistani forces.

Indian airlines cancelled service to least six cities and several airports were shut while Pakistan closed its airspace on Wednesday as tensions escalated between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) tweeted that it “has officially closed its airspace until further notice”, while a Pakistani military spokesman said the decision had been taken “due to the environment”.

Both countries have ordered air raids over the last two days, the first time in history that two nuclear armed powers have done so, while ground forces have exchanged fire in more than a dozen locations.

At least four Pakistani civilians died in cross-border shelling on Tuesday evening.

India on Tuesday said it had launched an air attack inside Pakistan and that its warplanes killed “a very large number” of fighters at a rebel training camp, raising the risk of conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistan denied there had been casualties, but has warned that it will respond to Indian aggression.

Tensions have risen since a suicide car bombing by Pakistan-based armed group, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), in Indian-administered Kashmir killed at least 42 Indian paramilitary police on February 14.

Pakistan and India have fought three wars since independence from British colonial rule in 1947.