New Delhi [India]: Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), stated on Sunday that between May 7 and May 10, at least 35 Pakistani army personnel were killed along the Line of Control (LoC). He noted that additional casualties are likely, as the Indian Army deployed heavier weaponry in response to Pakistan’s air intrusions.
“There are various means to ascertain (the loss of lives). There is information from various agencies. From the Line of Control (LoC), there are other ways to determine the effects. I mentioned 35-40 on the Line of Control. Please remember that once Operation Sindoor was launched, the responses of the Pakistan Army were also on the Indian Army or the Indian Armed Forces infrastructure,” Ghai told reporters during a press briefing.
The DGMO explained that the Indian Army’s targets were focused on terror-linked locations. However, after the Pakistani Army launched air-based intrusions targeting Indian military infrastructure, India responded with heavier artillery, likely resulting in further casualties that are currently being evaluated.
“Our targets were terror-oriented, and later, once they launched air intrusions and air operations on our infrastructure, we used heavier weapons, and there would have been casualties, but those are still being assessed,” he added.
He also mentioned that Pakistani forces attempted multiple air attacks on Indian airfields and ammunition depots, which were effectively intercepted and neutralized by Indian forces.
“Some of the air fields and dumps saw repeated attacks in waves from the air. All were thwarted. The Pakistan Army has reported to have lost approximately 35 to 40 personnel in artillery and small arms firing on the Line of Control between May 7 and 10,” Ghai said.
Lt Gen Ghai emphasized that India has maintained strict discipline in avoiding civilian targets and adhered to self-imposed rules of engagement focused only on terrorist camps. He also revealed that some of the identified terror camps were located in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), while others were within Pakistan’s Punjab province.
He further pointed to Muridke, a city in the Sheikhupura district of Punjab, as a major hub for Lashkar-e-Taiba activities, known for harboring notorious figures involved in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
“There was also a term of reference and our own binding self-imposed restriction to target only terrorists and thus, prevent collateral damage. There were nine camps you are now familiar with, which were confirmed by our various intelligence agencies to be inhabited. Some of these were in PoJK, while there were others that were located in the Punjab Province in Pakistan. Nefarious places such as Muridke, the hub centre of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, have over the years bred infamous characters such as Ajmal Kasab and the likes of David Headley,” Ghai added.