India fires missiles into Pakistani territory in what Islambad calls 'act of war'

Tensions have soared between the nuclear-armed neighbors since the attack, which India has blamed Pakistan for backing. Islamabad has denied the accusation.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned Wednesday's airstrikes and said the "deceitful enemy has carried out cowardly attacks" and that his country would retaliate.

“Pakistan has every right to give a robust response to this act of war imposed by India, and a strong response is indeed being given,” Sharif said.

He said his country and its armed forces “know very well how to deal with the enemy.”

Sharif has convened a meeting of the National Security Committee for Wednesday morning.

India’s Defense Ministry said at least nine sites were targeted “where terrorist attacks against India have been planned.”

“Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistan military facilities have been targeted,” the statement said, adding that “India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution.”

“We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable,” the statement said.

South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman told The Associated Press that the early morning missile strikes were some of the highest intensity from India in years and that Pakistan’s response would “surely pack a punch as well.”

“These are two strong militaries that, even with nuclear weapons as a deterrent, are not afraid to deploy sizeable levels of conventional military force against each other,” Kugelman said. “The escalation risks are real. And they could well increase, and quickly.”

One missile hit a mosque

The missiles struck locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and in the country's eastern Punjab province. One hit a mosque in the city of Bahawalpur in Punjab, where a child was killed.

Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif, said India launched attacks at six different locations, resulting in the deaths of eight people and injuries to 38.

State-run Pakistan Television, quoting security officials, said the country's air force shot down five Indian jets in retaliation but provided no additional detail. There was no immediate comment from India about Pakistan's claim.

Shortly after the attacks, an aircraft fell on a school building in the outskirts of the main city in Indian-controlled Kashmir, according to Srinagar police and residents.

“There was a huge fire in the sky. Then we heard several blasts also,” said Mohammed Yousuf Dar, a resident of southern Wuyan village in the Pampore area, where the incident occurred.

Firefighters struggled for hours to douse off the fires. Police and military officials sealed off the area immediately after the incident.

India launched the missiles from its own territory

Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Indian forces had launched the strikes while staying in Indian airspace. Other locations hit were near Muridke in Punjab and Kotli in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

It said the attack posed a significant threat to commercial air traffic. "This reckless escalation has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict," the statement said.

India's armed forces used precision strike weapon systems to carry out the strikes, which targeted the headquarters of militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammed in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke, according to Indian officials.

Indian army said the operation was named “Sindoor,” a Hindi word for vermillion, a bright red powder worn by married Hindu women on their forehead to mark their marital status.

Stephane Dujarric, the United Nations spokesperson, said in a statement late Tuesday that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “very concerned about the Indian military operations across the Line of Control and international border” and called for maximum military restraint from both countries.

“The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,” the statement read.

Locals saw panic and destruction after the attacks

In Muzaffarabad, the main city of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, resident Abdul Sammad said he heard several explosions and that some people were wounded in the attack. People were seen running in panic and authorities immediately cut the power, leading to a blackout.

The blasts ripped through walls. Locals inspected the damage to their homes in the aftermath of the missile attacks, rubble and other debris crunching underfoot.

People took refuge on the streets and in open areas, fearful of what might happen. “We were afraid the next missile might hit our house,” said Mohammad Ashraf.

Authorities in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir have declared an emergency in the region's hospitals.

Pakistan shut schools in Kashmir and Punjab province after the missile strikes. It had already had closed religious seminaries in Kashmir in anticipation of an attack by India.

Along the Line of Control, which divides the disputed region of Kashmir between India and Pakistan, there were heavy exchanges of fire between both armies.

The Indian army said Pakistani troops “resorted to arbitrary firing,” including gunfire and artillery shelling, across the Line of Control, the de facto border that divides disputed Kashmir between the two countries, and their international border.

Meanwhile, authorities in Indian-controlled Kashmir shut Srinagar city's airport for civilian flights following directions from the Indian air force, senior airport official said Javed Anjum said.

___

Saaliq and Roy reported from New Delhi. Butt and Ahmed reported from Islamabad. Hussain reported from Srinagar, India. Associated Press writers Ishfaq Hussian in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, Babar Dogar in Lahore, Pakistan, and Asim Tanveer in Multan, Pakistan contributed to this story.

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Credit: AP