“Drone attacks destroyed administrative office of Mosque”, say locals in Pakistan’s Muridke after Operation Sindoor

Muridke [Pakistan], May 7 (ANI): Drone attacks were reported from Pakistan Punjab’s Muridke as India conducted Operation Sindoor across several terror targets in Pakistan. Locals told media that the drone attacks destroyed the administrative area of a mosque, along with its roof.

According to a report filed by Reuters, a resident of Muridke described the situation at the location of the strike, “It was 12:45 in night and we were sleeping. First a drone came, then three more. The drone attack destroyed the administrative office and the roof of the mosque. One officer was sitting on the roof, he was killed".

Another local said, “Fear spread among the people, people went out into the fields, into open spaces, this is how the night passed in fear."

Markaz Taiba the ‘alma mater’ and the most important training centre of LeT is located in Nangal Sahdan, Muridke. The complex holds arms and physical trainings facility, as well as dawa’h and radicalisation for terror entities both from within Pakistan and abroad. All the preparators of 26/11 Mumbai attack including Ajmal Kasab were imparted ‘Daura-e-Ribbat’ (intelligence training) at this facility. David Coleman Headley and Tahawwur Hussain Rana, the prime conspirators of 26/11 Mumbai attacks, had visited Muridke on instructions of Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi.

Meanwile, in New Delhi, while briefing the media on Wednesday about Operation Sindoor, Col Sofiya Qureshi presented the videos of destruction of terror camps, including from Muridke where David Headley and Ajmal Kasab, perpetrators of 2008 Mumbai attacks received training. Other than Muridke, Sarjal camp in Sialkot, Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala and Markaz Abbas, Kotli and Mehmoona Joya camp, Sialkot were targeted in the strikes conducted by the Indian Army, Col Qureshi informed.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that it was essential to bring the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack to justice.

“Pakistan has been known to willfully mislead the world and international forums… The recent attack in Pahalgam has understandably generated deep anger in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of India. Following the attacks, the government of India naturally responded with a set of initial measures relating to our engagement with Pakistan… It was deemed essential that the perpetrators and planners of the 22nd April attack be brought to justice. Despite a fortnight having passed, there has been no demonstrable step from Pakistan to take action against terrorists’ infrastructure in on its territory or territory under its control. Instead, all it has indulged in are denials and allegations," the foreign secretary said.

Col Sofiya Qureshi shared the details of the Operation and said, “Operation Sindoor was launched to give justice to victims of Pahalgam terrorist attack. Nine terrorist camps were targeted and completely destroyed."

Indian Armed Forces successfully struck nine terror targets, four in Pakistan, including Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Sialkot, and five in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), using special precision munitions in a coordinated operation, sources told ANI.

India’s Ministry of Defence said the action was in direct response to the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 people and injured several others.

The operation was jointly carried out by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, with the mobilisation of assets and troops. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was constantly monitoring Operation Sindoor throughout the night. The Indian forces selected the locations to target top Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) leaders involved in sponsoring terrorist activities in India. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)

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