In a significant escalation along the Line of Control (LoC), Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the Indian Army, confirmed that at least 35 Pakistani soldiers were killed between May 7 and 10 during Operation Sindoor, India’s ongoing military response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking at a press briefing in New Delhi, Lt Gen Ghai said the operation involved targeted strikes against nine known terrorist camps located in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and Pakistan’s Punjab province. Among the primary targets was the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) stronghold in Muridke, a city infamous for its association with the 2008 Mumbai attacks’ planners, including Ajmal Kasab and David Headley.
“Our targets were terror-oriented and not civilian. We undertook this mission with utmost precision and exercised self-imposed restraints to avoid civilian casualties,” Lt Gen Ghai stated, adding that intelligence sources confirmed the deaths of 35 Pakistani military personnel during intense exchanges across the LoC.
The deaths reportedly occurred amid sustained artillery shelling and small arms fire between the two sides, particularly after Pakistan attempted aerial intrusions targeting Indian military installations. “Pakistan made repeated attempts to attack Indian airfields and ammunition depots, all of which were successfully thwarted,” the DGMO said, noting that the full extent of Pakistani casualties is still being assessed.
Operation Sindoor was launched following the brutal Pahalgam attack on April 22, in which 26 civilians — many of them tourists — were killed by terrorists linked to LeT. Indian intelligence traced the planning and execution of the attack to both local militants and foreign operatives acting under the direction of LeT chief Hafiz Saeed.
The Indian response involved a tri-service operation coordinated across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Missile and airstrikes were carried out on terror hubs in regions including Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Rawalakot, and Bhimber, utilizing satellite-guided bombs and real-time drone surveillance to ensure maximum impact with minimal collateral damage.
However, the LoC hostilities have also taken a toll on civilians. On May 7, Pakistani shelling in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district killed 12 Indian civilians, including women and children, and one soldier. The Indian government has since ramped up security across border states, while relief efforts are being coordinated by state governments, including West Bengal and Rajasthan.
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri described the military action as “measured, proportionate, and non-escalatory,” reaffirming that the objective was to dismantle terror infrastructure, not provoke a wider conflict. “We are committed to acting responsibly, but will not hesitate to defend our people from cross-border terrorism,” he said.
Political leaders across party lines have expressed support for the armed forces, with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urging unity in the fight against terrorism and announcing the activation of disaster management teams to support affected civilians.
The long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan, especially over the Kashmir region, have flared repeatedly in the past, most notably during the 1999 Kargil conflict and the aftermath of the 2019 revocation of Article 370. With both nations armed with nuclear capabilities, the continued exchanges have drawn concern from the international community, which has called for restraint and dialogue.
As Operation Sindoor progresses, the Indian Armed Forces maintain a high state of alert, signaling their resolve to prevent future terror attacks and dismantle the cross-border networks that sustain them.
