Space Travel News  
THE STANS
Pakistan takes media, diplomats on visit to Indian strike site
by Staff Writers
Islamabad (AFP) April 11, 2019

Pakistan has escorted a group of foreign journalists and diplomats to the site of an Indian air strike to show that, contrary to Delhi's claims, no infrastructure was damaged, the military spokesman said.

The visiting group, which Major General Asif Ghafoor said was mostly based in Delhi, was shown observing a crater in Balakot in video published via Twitter late Wednesday, on the eve of India's massive election.

The group saw the "ground realities" of the strike site, Ghafoor said in a caption accompanying the tweet.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has campaigned hard on what he claims is the success of the February 26 strike. Indian officials have claimed up to 250 militants were killed.

Pakistan has denied from the start that there was any damage or casualties, with Modi's counterpart Imran Khan framing it as an election ploy.

With the first phase of polls in India's massive election opening Thursday, Modi has styled himself as India's "chowkidar" ("watchman"), and anyone even questioning the action against Pakistan is given short shrift.

But independent reporting by multiple local and international outlets who have visited the site found no evidence of a major terrorist training camp -- or of any infrastructure damage at all.

An AFP reporter who visited just hours after the strike was carried out saw damage only to trees and one mud hut. Local residents have said no one was killed.

The Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab said that open-source satellite imagery indicated "only impacts in the wooded area, with no damage being visible to the surrounding structures."

The strike was in retaliation to a suicide bombing in Indian-held Kashmir on February 14 that was claimed by a Pakistan-based militant group.

It was followed by Pakistani air strikes which hit open space in Indian territory and ignited a dogfight in the skies over the disputed region of Kashmir, the worst confrontation between the nuclear-armed foes in years.

Pakistan said it shot down two Indian war planes, with one falling on the Indian side of the de facto Kashmir border. It captured the pilot of the other, releasing him days later in a bid to defuse tensions.

India says just one of its planes was shot down, and claimed that the second plane was a Pakistani F-16 shot down by the Indian air force.

Pakistan has denied that claim also, and Foreign Policy has reported that the US had done a count of all Pakistan's F-16s, with none missing.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947.

Both claim the Himalayan territory in full and have fought two wars over it.


Related Links
News From Across The Stans


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


THE STANS
Seoul confirms controversial academic as N. Korea point man
Seoul (AFP) April 8, 2019
South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday confirmed the appointment of a pro-engagement academic as his new point man on Pyongyang, despite controversy over his outspoken support for cooperation with the nuclear-armed North. The confirmation of Kim Yeon-chul as the new unification minister comes days before Moon flies to Washington for a summit with President Donald Trump as he seeks to rekindle dialogue between the US and North Korea after a failed summit in Hanoi in February. The dovish Sou ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

THE STANS
THE STANS
NASA's MAVEN Uses Red Planet's Atmosphere to Change Orbit

Life on Mars?

Curiosity Captured Two Solar Eclipses on Mars

Mysterious Martian Methane Bursts Confirmed

THE STANS
SpaceIL lunar lander in orbit around moon ahead of touchdown

Israeli spacecraft starts orbiting moon on maiden voyage

Lunar lander firm OrbitBeyond eyes Florida for new facility

US boots on the Moon in 2024? It won't be easy

THE STANS
Europa Clipper High-Gain Antenna Undergoes Testing

Scientists to Conduct Largest-Ever Hubble Survey of the Kuiper Belt

Jupiter's unknown journey revealed

A Prehistoric Mystery in the Kuiper Belt

THE STANS
Biologists find world's first organism with non-photosynthesizing chlorophyll

Building blocks of DNA and RNA could have appeared together before life began on Earth

Surviving A Hostile Planet

Exoplanet Under the Looking Glass

THE STANS
Rocket fuel that's cleaner, safer and still full of energy

Northrop Grumman completes 2nd test of rocket motor for ULA Atlas V

Arianespace completes deployment of O3b constellation

US Planning Five Hypersonic Test Programs in Marshall Islands

THE STANS
China's commercial carrier rocket finishes engine test

China launches new data relay satellite

Super-powerful Long March 9 said to begin missions around 2030

China preparing for space station missions

THE STANS
Self-driving spacecraft set for planetary defence expedition

Stunning discovery offers glimpse of minutes following 'dinosaur-killer' Chicxulub impact

Japan probe blasts asteroid, seeking clues to life's origins

OSIRIS-REx Captures Laser 3D View of Bennu









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.