Pakistan violated Indian airspace using Turkish-made Asisguard Songar drones, according to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. She confirmed that these drones were part of a broader offensive connected to Operation Sindoor. The incident comes in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, further escalating tensions between the two nations.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said during the press briefing, “On the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistani army violated Indian airspace several times over the entire western border to target military infrastructure. Not only this, the Pakistani army also fired heavy-calibre weapons along the Line of Control. Around 300 to 400 drones were used to attempt infiltration at 36 locations.”
She added, “The Indian armed forces shot down many of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means. The possible purpose of such large-scale aerial intrusions was to test air defence systems and collect intelligence. Forensic investigation of the wreckage of the drones is being done. Initial reports suggest that they are Turkish Asisguard Songar drones…”
During the press briefing, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said, “Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite it launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on May 7 at 08:30 pm. Pakistan is using a civil airliner as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defence response.
This is unsafe for unsuspecting civil airliners, including international flights that fly near IB between India and Pakistan. The screenshot we just showed shows the data of the application FlightRadar24 during a high air defence alert situation in the Punjab sector.”
She added, “As you have seen, the airspace on the Indian side is absolutely devoid of civil air traffic due to our declared closure. However, civil airlines are flying the air route between Karachi and Lahore. Indian Air Force demonstrated considerable restraint in its response, thus ensuring the safety of international civil carriers.
In response to the Pakistani attack, armed drones were launched at four air defence sites in Pakistan. One of the drones was able to destroy an AD radar. Pakistan also carried out artillery shelling across the line of control using heavy-calibre artillery guns and armed drones…which resulted in some losses and injuries to Indian army personnel. Pakistan army also suffered major losses in Indian retaliatory fire.”
Escalating its tensions with India, Pakistan targeted Jammu using Hamas-style missiles to target multiple areas on Thursday, defence sources had told ANI.
The sources said the attack resembled a Hamas-style operation in Israel, where multiple cheap rockets were used to target cities.
Pakistan’s attempted retaliation came in the wake of India’s Operation Sindoor, where the Indian armed forces targeted nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday.
The operation was a direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Earlier on Thursday, the Indian Army had shot down more than 50 Pakistani drones during a large-scale counter-drone operation along the LoC and International Borders (IB), sources told ANI.
The Indian Armed Forces successfully thwarted the Pakistan military’s large-scale drone and missile attack on multiple Indian military installations across Northern and Western India during the night of May 7–8. They also neutralised an air defence system in Lahore.
