Fact Check: News about second surgical strike in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is fake
NewsMeter found that the claim is false.
By Md Mahfooz Alam Published on 22 Aug 2023 4:36 PM IST
Screengrabs of the WhatsApp forward and X post.
Hyderabad: Multiple social media users have claimed that the Indian Army has conducted another big surgical strike in Pakistan.
The message is also doing the rounds on WhatsApp. It reads, āBIG Another Surgical Strike by Indian Army yesterday. Indian Army SF commandos went 2-2.5km inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in the Niakal sector of Kotli and destroyed 4 terrorist launching pads. As per inputs 8 terrorists including Pak BAT commandos planning to carry out terror attacks in India, were neutralized in the ops. The elite SF IA commandos have returned back safely after completing the mission. (sic)ā
(Image Credit: WhatsApp)
The claims referred to a report by the Hindi newspaper Dainik Jagran, which said that the Indian Army has once again carried out a surgical strike in Pakistan by crossing the Line of Control (LOC ) from the middle of Rajouri and Poonch districts and destroyed four launching pads of terrorists in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. It also said seven to eight terrorists were reportedly killed in the surgical strike. A video report was also published on their YouTube channel.
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false.
An Army official in a statement said, āA news has been published with respect to surgical strike. I would like to inform you that no such operation has been carried out in Rajouri - Poonch. An infiltration bid was foiled yesterday for which a press release has been given.ā
News18, in a report published on August 22, said that the Ministry of Defence refuted the claims of another surgical strike. It further mentioned that Indian Army foiled an infiltration bid by Pakistan on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirās Balakote Sector.
It also said that two terrorists making use of inclement weather, dense fog, thick foliage, and undulating ground in the Hamirpur area of Balakote Sector were attempting to cross the LoC onto the Indian side.
India TV and Editorji also reported that the Indian Army and Defence Ministry have clarified that no surgical strike was carried out by the Indian Army. Both reports mentioned an infiltration attempt that was foiled.
Hence, we conclude that the claim of the Indian Army carrying out another surgical strike in Pakistan is false.
