2019 Jammu and Kashmir airstrikes
On 27 February 2019, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) conducted six airstrikes at multiple locations in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The airstrikes were part of the PAF military operation codenamed Operation Swift Retort and were conducted in retaliation to the Indian Air Force (IAF) airstrike in Balakot just a day before on 26 February.
2019 Jammu and Kashmir airstrikes | |||||
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Part of the 2019 India–Pakistan border skirmishes | |||||
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Belligerents | |||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||
Arif Alvi (Chief of Air Staff) |
Ram Nath Kovind (Chief of Air Staff) | ||||
Units involved | |||||
Strength | |||||
2 Dassault Mirage-IIIDA
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Unknown number of MiG-21, Su-30MKI and Mirage 2000 jets
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Casualties and losses | |||||
Neutral Assessment: No aircraft lost Indian claim: 1 F-16 shot down Pakistani claim: No PAF aircraft shot down |
Neutral Assessment: 1 MiG-21 shot down, pilot (Abhinandan Varthaman) captured. Pakistani claim: 1 MiG-21 shot down, pilot (Abhinandan Varthaman) captured and 1 Su-30MKI shot down. Indian claim: 1 MiG-21 shot down, pilot (Abhinandan Varthaman) captured, No Su-30MKI got shot down Friendly fire: 1 Mil Mi-17 shot down, 6 Indian Air Force personnel and 1 civilian killed |
It was the first time since 1971 that both countries' airforces had conducted airstrikes on each other's territory across the Line of Control (LoC). India conducted an airstrike in Balakot on 26 February while Pakistan responded by conducting airstrikes in Indian-administered Kashmir. Following Pakistan's airstrikes, Indian Air Force (IAF) jets started pursuing Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets. In the resulting dogfight, Pakistan claimed to have shot down two Indian jets and captured one Indian pilot, Abhinandan Varthaman. Indian officials acknowledged that one IAF jet was lost. One IAF Mil Mi-17 helicopter was also lost due to a friendly fire incident. Indian officials also claimed to have shot down a PAF F-16 jet. Pakistan rejected the Indian claim and said that the PAF did not suffer any losses in the dogfight.