The Indian Armed Forces on Wednesday unveiled key details of Operation Sindoor, a coordinated strike mission that targeted and dismantled nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation was launched in direct retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people.
In a press briefing held in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh outlined the objectives and impact of the mission. Of the nine camps targeted, four were located deep inside Pakistan—specifically in Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sarjal, and Mehmoona Joya—and five were situated in PoK.
Colonel Qureshi highlighted the strategic importance of each strike:
- Sarjal Camp, Sialkot (6 km inside Pakistan): Trained terrorists responsible for the March 2025 killing of four Jammu and Kashmir police personnel.
- Mehmoona Joya Camp, Sialkot (12–18 km inside Pakistan): A major Hizbul Mujahideen facility and control centre for terror activities in the Kathua-Jammu region, also linked to the Pathankot Air Force base attack.
- Markaz Taiba, Muridke (18–25 km inside Pakistan): The Lashkar-e-Taiba training base for 26/11 attackers including Ajmal Kasab and David Headley.
- Markaz Subhanallah, Bahawalpur (100 km inside Pakistan): Headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), now destroyed.
The operation also neutralised five additional camps in PoK linked to recent attacks, including:
- Shawai Nallah Camp, Muzaffarabad: Lashkar-e-Taiba hub involved in the October 2024 Sonamarg and Gulmarg attacks and the April 2025 Pahalgam massacre.
- Syedna Bilal Camp, Muzaffarabad: A JeM staging area for weapons, explosives, and guerrilla training.
- Gulpur Camp, Kotli (30 km from LoC): Linked to the 2023 Poonch and 2024 pilgrimage bus attacks.
- Barnala Camp, Bhimber: Training centre for weapons, IEDs, and jungle survival.
- Kotli Camp (13 km from LoC): Trained fedayeen with a 15-person capacity.
Wing Commander Singh emphasised that the strikes were conducted between 1:05 am and 1:30 am on Wednesday, using precision-guided munitions to avoid civilian casualties. “No military or civilian infrastructure was unintentionally affected,” said Singh.
Foreign Secretary Misri reaffirmed India’s commitment to justice: “Despite repeated calls, Pakistan has taken no credible action against terror elements on its soil. Operation Sindoor is India’s decisive step to bring the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack to justice.”
The mission marks India’s deepest military strike in Pakistan’s undisputed territory since the 1971 war, and showcases a new threshold in India’s counter-terror strategy.
