Chennai: One of the three F-16 jets that violated Indian airspace today was shot down, according to TV reports.
India had launched a ‘non-military, pre-emptive action specifically targeted at the terrorist camp’ in Balakot in the wee hours of Tuesday and claimed to have killed at least 300 jihadis being trained there.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, reacting to the Indian action, had threatened to retaliate – at a chosen time.
This morning, three Pakistani F-16 jets entered Indian airspace and were shot at by Mirages. While they turned tail, one jet was shot down. The pilot was also seen ejecting from the aircraft about 3 km inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Reports said the jets were targeting Poonch and Rajouri districts in Kashmir, but added that there was no loss of civilian life.
Commercial flight to Srinagar, Jammu, Leh and Amritsar have been suspended given the latest development.