20 Pakistani jets tried enter Indian Air Space on Feb 27: Sources

Around 20 Pakistani jets tried to carry out strikes at military installations in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday using laser bombs but the Indian fighter planes engaged them and chased them away, in the first such aerial combat since 1971.

Sources said here on Thursday that the jets of the Pakistan Air Force crossed the Line of Control (LoC) at 9.45 am, contradicting the Pakistani claims that its fighters remained away from the LoC.

Giving details of yesterday's transgression by the Pakistan Air Force, the sources said that 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 Pakistani jets were chased by a fleet of MiG fighter planes, one of which, flown by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, crossed into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and was shot down.

Before being hit, Abhinandan shot down one F-16 fighter.

India has seen visuals of Pakistan aircraft going down, the sources said.

The Indian fighters foiled Pakistani attempt to carry out strikes.

There was escalation from the Pakistani side and the Indian side was forced to engage, sources said.

Abhinandan ejected safely but was taken into custody by the Pakistani Army.

Pakistan violated the Indian airspace a day after India launched an anti-terror strike against a JeM terror training camp in Pakistan's Balakot on Tuesday.

India's airstrike came in the aftermath of the February 14 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, when around 40 CRPF jawans were killed.

Terror outfit JeM, which is based in Pakistan, has claimed responsibility for the attack.