Drone Films Indian Artillery Pounding Pak Army In Keran Today

A week after a devastating infiltration encounter in north Kashmir’s Keran sector — an operation in which five Indian Special Forces men were killed in action while eliminating five infiltrators — drone footage shared with journalists today is said to depict a fierce Indian artillery bombardment of Pakistan Army gun positions and depots in the same sector. Sources familiar with the action said it took place on Friday afternoon.

“Precision targeting of terrorist launch pads, gun areas and ammunition dumps was carried out. There are reports of heavy damage on the Pakistani side. There was no casualty on our side,” the Army has said.

A clip of uncertain origin was tweeted earlier today by a KashmirLife journalist. Army sources who shared the drone video said the ground clip was of the same bombardment. The guns seen in the video appear to be the Army’s Bofors FH77 field howitzers.

The Keran sector in Kashmir’s northern Kupwara district has been a well-worn infiltration highway. In August last year, the Indian Army said it had eliminated four Pak Army SSG infiltrators in the sector. Today’s artillery action is likely part of the retaliatory cycle, with calibre upped as a direct result of last week’s encounter. Pakistan has filled the gaps between major infiltrators with a regular spate of ceasefire violations with small arms and mortars. The Indian Army hasn’t commented on damage to the Pakistan Army except to say that it is likely significant in areas.

Several locals in villages near the Line of Control have tweeted videos of the guns echoing through the formidable terrain that defines this hostile sector.