On Wednesday, India announced it had carried out retaliatory strikes against Pakistan following a terrorist attack last month that claimed the lives of 26 civilians in Kashmir.
Indian authorities stated that their forces targeted nine locations within Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Reports from Indian officials and eyewitnesses indicated that at least two Indian aircraft crashed within Indian territory and Indian-administered Kashmir, with wreckage seen at the sites.
Since the partition of British India in 1947, India and Pakistan—both nuclear-armed rivals—have fought multiple wars, with the contested Kashmir region as the central source of conflict.
Here is a detailed overview of Wednesday’s attacks, the Kashmir terrorist incident, and the enduring tensions between India and Pakistan.
Key Points to Understand:
Locations Targeted in Pakistan
The Indian government confirmed that its forces struck nine sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
Pakistani military officials reported that over 20 people were killed and dozens injured after six sites in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Punjab province were hit. Meanwhile, residents in Indian-administered Kashmir reported at least 10 casualties caused by Pakistani shelling following India’s retaliatory attacks.
In Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, locals heard the sound of jet aircraft overhead. They indicated that a rural area near Muzaffarabad, reportedly used by Lashkar-e-Taiba—a Pakistan-based militant group—appeared to be the strike target.
A Pakistani army spokesperson stated that five additional sites were struck, resulting in at least eight deaths and 35 injuries.
The targeted locations included Bahawalpur in Punjab province, home to a religious seminary linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad, another Pakistan-based militant group; Kotli and Bagh in Pakistan-administered Kashmir; and Shakargarh and Muridke in Punjab, where Lashkar-e-Taiba is believed to have a presence.
The Pakistani military emphasized that Indian aircraft did not breach Pakistan’s airspace during the strikes.
India described its actions as focused and measured, stating that no Pakistani military installations were targeted and the strikes were not intended to escalate tensions.
Pakistan responded with a statement declaring that the attacks “will not go unanswered” and warned that India’s temporary satisfaction would be replaced by lasting consequences.
Details of the Kashmir Terror Attack
On April 22, militants opened fire on civilians in the Baisaran valley of Kashmir, killing 26 people and injuring 17 others.
According to official counts, all but one victim—a local Kashmiri—were Hindu tourists. Survivors recounted that attackers inquired about victims' religion before opening fire. The assault near Pahalgam, a town in Indian-administered Kashmir, was among the deadliest attacks on civilians in decades.
A group calling itself the Resistance Front claimed responsibility via social media. Indian officials privately assert that this faction is an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistan-based terrorist organization.
In response, Indian security forces launched a widespread crackdown, detaining thousands of individuals in Kashmir.
Understanding 'Operation Sindoor'
India designated its military retaliation as 'Operation Sindoor.'
Sindoor, or vermilion powder, traditionally symbolizes the marital status of Hindu women, worn in the hair parting or on the forehead, and removed upon widowhood. Many women lost their husbands in the April 22 attack, which specifically targeted Hindus.
The choice of 'Operation Sindoor' signals India's intent to avenge the widows affected by the attack.
This operation name also resonates with right-wing Hindu groups, who advocate for more defined traditional gender roles, indicating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nationalist government is responding to their calls for retribution.
However, some feminist commentators have criticized the use of 'sindoor,' pointing out that Hindu nationalism often reflects a male-centric worldview where women are portrayed as either vulnerable figures needing protection or as maternal symbols urging men to heroic acts.
Historical Roots of the Conflict
The Kashmir conflict dates back to the 1947 partition of British India, which created India as a predominantly Hindu nation and Pakistan as a primarily Muslim country.
In October 1947, the Hindu ruler of the Muslim-majority princely state of Kashmir acceded to India. Pakistan contested this decision and attempted to seize the territory through military action. A United Nations-mediated ceasefire in 1949 divided Kashmir between the two countries.
Following wars in 1965 and 1971, the ceasefire line became known as the Line of Control, with India controlling roughly two-thirds of Kashmir and Pakistan the remainder. Despite this division, the dispute remains unresolved.
A detailed timeline outlines decades of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.
Pakistan’s Role in Supporting Militancy in Kashmir
An insurgency began in Indian-administered Kashmir in the 1980s, driven mainly by local grievances, with Pakistan providing support to some militant groups, according to experts.
The insurgent groups had varied goals; some sought Kashmir’s independence, while others aimed to integrate Indian Kashmir into Pakistan.
Throughout the 1990s, Pakistan offered training and assistance to various militant groups operating in Kashmir and within Pakistan itself. This involvement was later acknowledged by Pakistani leaders, including former military ruler Pervez Musharraf. The insurgency’s rise led to a mass exodus of Kashmiri Hindus, many relocating to New Delhi and other cities after targeted attacks.
The insurgency began to subside around 2002, when Pakistan banned Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, though Lashkar-e-Taiba continued operations under different names. A ceasefire and peace process with India followed, partly influenced by international pressure after the 9/11 attacks.
The peace efforts collapsed after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 people and were attributed to Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Prospects of War Between India and Pakistan
Analysts warn that any military confrontation between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan risks rapid escalation, potentially spiraling out of control. Yet India faces little international pressure to restrain its response and has grown more assertive in recent years alongside its rising diplomatic and economic influence.
Observers noted India’s emphasis on the limited and targeted nature of its strikes, suggesting an effort to avoid broader escalation, reinforced by diplomatic activity.
Pakistan’s military and civilian leaders sought to frame the downing of Indian aircraft as a significant victory.
Future developments will likely depend on whether both sides achieve their domestic objectives and if sufficient international diplomacy can be mobilized amid global instability.
Current Situation in Kashmir
Since the 1999 conflict, Kashmir remains one of the most heavily militarized regions in the world. India and Pakistan have repeatedly come close to war, including in 2019, when a suicide bombing in Kashmir killed at least 40 Indian soldiers.
In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government revoked a constitutional provision granting semi-autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian-administered portion of the region, as part of a nationalist agenda to fully integrate the area.
Pakistan condemned this move. Violent protests have also erupted in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction with the Pakistani government.
While direct Indian governance has reduced violence in Indian Kashmir and elections resumed last year, discontent remains, particularly regarding the Modi administration’s extensive control over Kashmiri lives.
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