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‘Communication nodes of terrorists in and to Pakistan revealed’: Foreign Secretary on Pahalgam attack
The Indian armed forces today launched strikes on nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, addressing a press conference on Operation Sindoor on Wednesday, said the investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack revealed Pakistan's links to it. Hours after India's military strikes against nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the official elaborated on how New Delhi found out about Pakistan-based terror outfits' involvement in the attack on tourists.
“Investigations into the Pahalgam terror attack have brought out the communication nodes of terrorists in and to Pakistan. The claims made by The Resistance Front and their reposting by known social media handles of the Lashkar-e-Taiba speak for themselves,” Misri said.
“Identification of the attackers, based on eyewitness accounts as well as other information available to law enforcement agencies, has also progressed. Our intelligence has developed an accurate picture of the planners and backers of this team. The features of this attack also tie in with Pakistan's long-standing record of perpetrating cross-border attacks on India, which is well documented and beyond question,” he added.
He said the Pahalgam terror attack was marked with extreme barbarity, with the victims mostly killed with head shots at close range and in front of their families.
"The family members were deliberately traumatised through the manner of killing, accompanied by the exhortation that they should take back the message. The attack was driven by the objective of undermining normalcy returning to Kashmir," he said.
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"The attack was aimed at disturbing the social situation in Jammu and Kashmir that was witnessing progress, development," he added.
He said India's intelligence agencies have indicated that further attacks against India are impending.
"Our intelligence indicated that further attacks against India are impending. Thus, compulsion, both to deter and prevent and hence earlier this morning, India exercised its right to respond to deter such more cross-border terrorism...Our actions were measured and non-escalatory, proportionate and responsible. They focused on dismantling terrorists' infrastructure," he said.
