Over 20 Pakistani fighter jets tried to cross the Line of Control (LoC) and carry out strike at Indian military establishments using laser bombs on Wednesday morning before being chased away by IAF jets, say reports.
Quoting sources, the ANI reported that the Pakistan fighter jets crossed the LoC at 9.45 am.
“After the 20 fighter planes crossed into the Indian air space, they were engaged by the MiG jets which were on alert after Tuesday's air strikes at Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror camp in Balakot,” the report said, quoting sources.
In the ensuing aerial engagement, one F-16 fighter of Pakistan Air Force was shot down while the IAF also lost one MiG fighter. IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman ejected safely but was arrested by Pakistan security personnel.
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Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday announced that his country would release Abhinandan Varthaman on Friday as a “gesture of peace”.
The tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours escalated a day after a fleet of IAF Mirage 2000 fighter jets crossed the Pakistan border and demolished a major terror training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammad at Balakot, killing over 300 militants.
India's unprecedented counter-terror operation was in response to the suicide attack at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14, in which at least 40 CRPF jawans lost their lives. The JeM had claimed responsibility of the attack.