Surgical strikes: Five Pakistani soldiers among 12 killed, Mirpur SP tells CNN-News18

Quoting disclosures by Mirpur SP, CNN-News18 confirmed the surgical strikes, which Pakistan so vehemently refused to acknowledge, were actually carried out by India on terrorist launch pads across the Line of Control on 29 September. Mirpur SP, who was under the impression that he was speaking to his superior IG Mushtaq, confirmed claims made by the Indian Army to News18’s Investigations Editor Manoj Gupta. Not only did the SP confirm the timings of the strike, he also revealed the areas that were under attack – Leepa and Asmani in Bhimber – and the number of people killed. He said the Pakistan Army had cordoned off all these areas immediately after the Indian Army’s strikes. [caption id=“attachment_3036366” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image.[/caption] “Sir, that was night… you can say roughly 3-4 hours… between 2 am and 4 or 5am… the attack continued between that time,” Mirpur SP told CNN-News18. He further said that 12 people were killed and were buried in 12 coffins in their villages. The SP also said that the Pakistan Army put the bodies in ambulances and took them away, adding that many have been buried in villages and that his personnel were evaluating the coffin boxes. Listing the names of five Pakistani soldiers who were killed and nine injured in the strikes (names redacted adhering to the code of standards and practices of CNN-News18 which prevented them from publishing the details), Mirpur SP said, “A mosque has also been damaged. It is near the post in Leepa. These are all details of the 29th… when the surgical strike happened.” When asked if any locals or jihadis were killed, Mirpur SP said, “No locals died. But there is a probability that jihadis have been killed.” In another shocking revelation, Mirpur SP admitted that the Pakistani Army facilitates jihadi movement in forward areas and arranges for their crossing over to India. “The Army brings them (lashkaris)… it is in their hands,” he said. On probing if the army is not letting information about the jihadis out and hides them, Mirpur Sp said,“Sir, that happens… Yes sir, they do that, we know. This is why the area has been cordoned off…” India has not officially announced how many militants were killed in the strikes, only saying it managed to neutralise a “significant” number of terrorists. However, Islamabad has disputed the Indian claim of surgical strikes and said it lost two soldiers in cross-border firing by Indian troops that night.