First surgical strike was carried out in 2016, confirms Lt Gen Singh

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Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army's Northern Command, Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh on Monday confirmed that the first surgical strike was carried out by India in September 2016.

Citing an RTI reply by Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), Indian Army, Singh said that the first surgical strike by armed forces took place in September 2016, to avenge the Uri garrison attack, in which 19 soldiers were killed.

"A few days ago, DGMO said in a reply to an RTI that the first surgical strike happened in September 2016. I don't want to go into what political parties say, they will be given an answer by the government. What I have told you is a statement of fact," Lt General Singh said at a press conference.

He added, "The action by the Indian Air Force on the February 26 for carrying out air strikes on Balakot terrorist infrastructure was indeed laudable. It was a major achievement wherein our aircraft went deep into enemy territory and struck terror launchpads. Pakistanis carried out their air operations very close to the Line of Control on the following day. However, they were given a befitting reply."

Singh was addressing a press conference where he was asked about Congress' claims of conducting six surgical strikes during the UPA regime.

Congress leader Rajiv Shukla had earlier told reporters at the AICC briefing that six surgical strikes were conducted during Manmohan Singh government.

Shukla had stated that two surgical strikes were carried out when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister--one on January 21, 2000, in Nadala Enclave across the Neelam River and second on September 18, 2003, in Baroh Sector in Poonch.

Meanwhile at the press conference today, Lt General Singh said that airstrikes by the Indian Air Force on terrorist infrastructure in Balakot was a major achievement.

He said that Indian aircraft went deep into enemy territory and launched preemptive strikes across terror launchpads in Pakistan.

"Pakistanis carried out air operations the following day, however, they were given a befitting reply," Singh said.

Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama on February 14 when a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into the CPRF convoy.

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Edited by mid-day online desk with inputs from Agencies