Bhubaneswar: Pakistan launched around 300 to 400 drones against various Indian locations last night, said the authorities in New Delhi today.

The neighbouring country also violated Indian airspace and tried to target Indian military as well as civilian infrastructure on the intervening night of May 8 and 9, said Colonel Sophia Qureshi of the Indian Army while briefing the media in New Delhi today.

“The Indian Armed Forces have neutralized most of the drones launched by the Pakistani forces last night. The wreckages of these drones are being examined. Preliminary reports suggested that these drones were of Turkish origin,” added Qureshi. 

The armed forces of Pakistan also resorted to heavy firing at Indian positions along the border. A few personnel of the Indian army were killed and several others were injured in the firing. Indian also launched a counter attack and several enemy soldiers were killed in retaliatory action, she said.

Pakistan also used an UAV to target Indian military positions. However, the UAV was shot down. In retaliation, Indian forces launched drones against the Pakistani targets. One of these drones destroyed a Pakistani radar system, said Wing Commander Vyomika Singh at the presser.

“The authorities in Pakistan did not suspend their civil aviation. They are using civilian aircraft as a shield against India. The Indian Airforce is applying utmost restraints to check the loss of civilian lives,” Singh added.  

Notably, India launched precision airstrikes against terror infrastructure in Pakistan on May 7 as part of ‘Operation Sindoor’ to avenge the April 22 attack at Pahalgam that took the lives of at least 26 innocent tourists.

Pakistan’s attack on Indian locations on May 8 has escalated the tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.