Surgical strike video released, shows ops against terror camps: TV channels

Purported visuals of the Indian Army's cross-border operations against terrorists about two years ago were broadcast by television channels on Wednesday night.

News channels said the grainy footage  on air showed gunfire and explosions targeting enemy camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, an operation that came in retaliation to a terrorist strike on an Indian Army camp and is widely known as surgical strikes.   

The reports also said these videos, provided to TV channels by sources, were shot by drones using thermal imaging cameras.

Business Standard could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos but an official who was directly in charge of the operation confirmed that they were real. 

“When the surgical strikes happened, my view was that the videos should have been released as proof. It is good that they have come out now,” Lt General D S Hooda (retd) told The Indian Express.  

In a press conference on Thursday, Congress accuses Modi government and BJP of politicising surgical strikes.

"Blood and sacrifice of brave soldiers cannot become political vote garnering tool for Modi government," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. 

On September 29, 2016, the Indian Army announced that it attacked terrorists' camps along the Line of Control using ground forces. The act, which officials said inflicted “significant casualties” on terrorists, came after a deadly attack on a military base in Uri in Jammu and Kashmir on September 18 that year. 

Pakistan rejected India's claims of having launched a surgical strike on terrorist camps in Pakistani territory.

In a book launched on the first anniversary of surgical strikes, an Army Major, who reportedly led the mission, said the return was the most difficult part and bullets fired by the enemy were so close that these were whistling past the ears.

The officer, referred to as Major Mike Tango, said in the book,"The target list was scrutinised along a top-secret chain of command that numbered barely a handful of people, with 'need to know' rules applicable throughout.