NEW DELHI: Hours after India carried out precision strikes on nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor, former Army chief General Manoj Naravane dropped a cryptic message, “Abhi picture baki hai…”, a Hindi phrase that translates to “The game is not over yet.”The post was shared on X (formerly Twitter), hours after ‘Operation Sindoor’, which was carried out in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, including a Nepali national. The Indian Army and Indian Air Force on Wednesday destroyed nine terror camps linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.The precision strikes, India’s first public military response after the Pulwama suicide bombing, were aimed at eliminating key terror infrastructures without engaging Pakistani military assets. “The operation was focused, measured and non-escalatory,” the Defence Ministry said.The IAF carried out strikes on four locations deep within Pakistani territory, while five others were hit in PoK, according to sources.India released the first official footage of the strikes, with the video carrying a bold message: ‘Mission Accomplished’.Among the camps targeted was the Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, a 15-acre JeM facility that served as the group’s primary training and indoctrination base, and was linked to the 2019 Pulwama attack. The complex also housed JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar, his brother Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar, and over 600 cadres.Also hit was LeT’s Markaz Taiba in Muridke, a sprawling 82-acre facility with a madrassa, arms training grounds, and even a mosque and guest house reportedly financed by Osama bin Laden. Known as the ideological and operational hub of LeT, it enrolled around 1,000 students annually.
India hits 9 terror camps in PoK, Pakistan
Briefing the media, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said the operation was aimed at ensuring justice for the Pahalgam victims. “Nine terrorist camps were targeted and successfully destroyed. All locations were carefully chosen to prevent any civilian casualties or damage to civilian infrastructure,” she said. She was joined by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Col Sofiya Qureshi. Col Qureshi presented video evidence of the operation and named the targets, which included Muridke—where 26/11 attackers David Headley and Ajmal Kasab were trained—Sarjal camp in Sialkot, Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala, Markaz Abbas in Kotli, and Mehmoona Joya camp in Sialkot.
Pahalgam attack meant to disrupt peace: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the Pahalgam killings were a calculated act to derail peace efforts in Jammu and Kashmir. “The victims were shot at close range, often in front of their families, who were deliberately traumatised. The objective was to send a message and destabilise normalcy in the region,” he said. He added that intelligence agencies had credible inputs of more terror plots. “India had both the compulsion and the right to act. This morning’s response was calibrated, proportionate, and intended to prevent future cross-border terror threats,” Misri said.
