Eight Dead Including Child After India Launched Missile Strikes on Pakistan-Controlled Territory Following Kashmir Attack
- Victor Nwoko
- 15 hours ago
- 3 min read
India launched missile strikes into Pakistan-controlled territory early Wednesday, killing at least eight people, including a child, and injuring 38 others. The operation, which India said was aimed at infrastructure used by militant groups linked to a recent massacre in Indian-administered Kashmir, has dramatically escalated tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations.
According to Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif, the missiles struck six locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and eastern Punjab province. Among the targets hit was a mosque in Bahawalpur, where a child was killed. Additional strikes occurred near Muridke in Punjab and Kotli in Kashmir. In response, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the strikes, labeling them "an act of war" and promising a "robust response."
Simultaneously, along the Line of Control (LoC), Pakistani shelling reportedly killed three civilians in Indian-controlled Kashmir, prompting retaliatory fire from Indian forces. The Indian army described the cross-border fire from Pakistan as "arbitrary" and stated it had responded "in a proportionate manner."
India’s Ministry of Defense stated that nine locations had been targeted during the operation, named “Sindoor,” referencing the vermillion powder traditionally worn by Hindu married women. The name symbolically honored women who lost their husbands in the Kashmir massacre. India emphasized that the attacks were “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” claiming no Pakistani military facilities were targeted.
The Indian strikes are reportedly in retaliation for a militant attack last month in Kashmir that claimed the lives of numerous tourists. Indian authorities allege that the groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba—both based in Pakistan—were involved, and that intelligence and survivor testimony confirm Pakistan-based involvement. Pakistan has denied any responsibility.
In the immediate aftermath of the Indian strikes, Pakistan's air force reportedly shot down five Indian jets, though this claim has not been verified. Debris from crashed aircraft was found in multiple locations in Indian-administered Kashmir, including the Pampore area and Bhardha Kalan near Akhnoor. Eyewitnesses described seeing large fireballs in the sky, followed by explosions. Two injured pilots were recovered by Indian forces.
Authorities in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir declared a medical emergency in hospitals, and schools were shut down in both Kashmir and Punjab provinces. Similarly, Indian-controlled Kashmir closed educational institutions in seven border areas and temporarily shut Srinagar’s airport to civilian flights following Indian Air Force directives.
Residents in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, described panic during the strikes. Explosions tore through homes, forcing families to flee into the streets. Power was immediately cut, plunging the region into darkness. "We were afraid the next missile might hit our house," said local resident Mohammad Ashraf.
Firefighters in the Pampore region of Indian-administered Kashmir battled blazes from downed aircraft well into the morning. In Wuyan village, resident Mohammed Yousuf Dar described the night sky lit by flames and multiple explosions. In Bhardha Kalan, resident Sachin Kumar reported finding two injured pilots after a crash and seeing a massive explosion upon impact.
The United Nations has called for urgent de-escalation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern and urged both India and Pakistan to exercise "maximum military restraint," warning that the world "cannot afford a military confrontation" between the two powers.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement warning that India’s actions endangered civilian air traffic and have brought the two nations dangerously close to a major conflict. Meanwhile, India’s Embassy in Washington said National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had briefed U.S. counterparts, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stating that India had credible evidence of Pakistan-based terrorist involvement in the Kashmir massacre.
Comments