Well prepped Poonch Brigade was at heart of Op Sindoor: Commander
Poonch Brigade Commander Brigadier Mudit Mahajan on Tuesday said the well-prepared strategic brigade was not just a part of Operation Sindoor, but the heart of it.
Addressing the media at Poonch, he said the Indian Army struck with unmatched precision and decimated six of nine critical terrorist targets opposite Poonch, Rajouri and Akhnoor on the intervening night of May 6 and 7.
'Poonch Brigade was engaged in intense and continuous operations to blunt and respond to the unprovoked aggression by Pakistan from across the Line of Control (LoC). We did not wait to react, we prepared to respond. To that extent, I will say that the brigade was not a part, but the heart of Operation Sindoor,' he said.
The brigadier added that the Pakistan-sponsored terror strike at Pahalgam on April 22 that left 26 innocent tourists dead was met with a calibrated response from the Indian Army, initially focusing on terrorist infrastructure.
He added, 'Only when the Pakistan Army escalated by indiscriminately targeting civilian areas, the Indian Army decisively shifted to hitting their military assets. As the enemy unleashed drone swarms, the air defence emerged as the shield, demonstrating exceptional skill, resilience and cutting-edge coordination to intercept every aerial menace,' said Brigadier Mahajan.
'In sum, Pakistan Army's losses were not just in numbers, but in morale and initiative. They have lost their credibility before their own nation. So far, we have inputs of imposing heavy numbers in fatal and non-fatal casualties upon the enemy. The numbers are still adding up as our intelligence agencies are on the job to corroborate and verify these inputs,' he said.
The commander issued a stern warning to Pakistan, reminding it that Operation Sindoor was not over and has been paused.
'Operation Sindoor is not over but suspended for the time being. The Indian Army is alert, ready and if challenged again, will respond with fire and resolve of the nation,' he added.
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