Lashker-e-Taiba suffered maximum damage in surgical strikes

NEW DELHI: Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashker-e-Taiba(LeT) suffered the maximum damage in the cross-LoC surgical strikes on terror launch pads carried out by Indian army.

• Assessment of reports of radio intercepts indicating that around 20 of its militants were killed.

• The assessment reports available from Indian army field units which included radio conversations between various Pakistani formations showed maximum damage was inflicted on LeT, a banned terror group, at Dudniyal launch pad in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, opposite to Kupwara sector of North Kashmir, according to sources in the know of details of the recent surgical strikes.

• The sources said today that five teams culled out from the army division in the area were tasked to destroy launch pads of terror groups located at Kail also known as Kel and Dudniyal.

• In a well calibrated operation, which started on the intervening night of September 28 and 29, Indian army moved across the LoC and smashed four launch pads that were under the guard of a Pakistani post located 700 metres from the LoC.

• The sources said that the terrorists were not expecting an action by the Indian army and therefore were taken by surprise. The terrorists, mainly belonging to the LeT, were seen running towards the Pakistani post when they were killed by the Indian troops, according to the assessment reports.

• The action peaked between 3am and 4.30am, according to officials in the know of operations. The Indian commandos "exfiltrated" and were back in their home bases - their own "launch pads" in Indian territory - between 7 and 9 this morning.

• The Indian Special Forces teams were asked to move to staging posts yesterday afternoon. Special Forces commandos of the 4 and 9 para - in the actions on Wednesday-Thursday night - were involved.

• They were supported by " ghatak" (assault) platoons of infantry battalions that man the LoC in sectors across three divisions of the army headquartered in Rajouri, Baramulla and Kupwara. Uri is in the area of the Baramulla division. The frontage opposite which the raids took place spans Nowgam as well.

• The officials said there were three non-fatal casualties among Indian troops that were caused "not by terrorists" but because of obstacles.

• One soldier was injured because of a mine blast. The LoC has been heavily mined on both sides by the Indian and Pakistani armies through the decades. The mining goes back so long that nature and the elements have shifted the explosives buried in the ground to the extent that neither side can claim to have exact maps of their minefields, a task of army engineers (sappers).