Middle East

US count shows no Pakistan F-16s shot down in Indian battle, says report

Pakistans F-16 combat jets have all been accounted for, US-based Foreign Policy magazine said, citing US officials, contradicting an Indian air force assessment that it had shot down one of the jets in February.

India and Pakistan engaged in an aerial battle over the disputed region of Kashmir a day after Indian jets crossed over into Pakistan to attack a suspected camp of anti-India militants.

An Indian jet was brought down during the fight and its pilot captured when he ejected on the Pakistani side of the border.

India said it, too, had shot down a Pakistani aircraft and the air force displayed pieces of a missile that it said had been fired by a Pakistani F-16 before it went down.

Foreign Policy said in a report published on Thursday that two US defense officials with direct knowledge of the matter said US personnel had done a count of Pakistans F-16s and found none missing.

The F-16s are made by Lockheed Martin and, under an end-user agreement, the United States required the host country to allow for regular inspections to ensure they were accounted for and protected, Foreign Policy said.

“Truth always prevails,” Pakistans army spokesman said in a Tweet. “Time for India to speak truth about false claims & actual losses on their side.”

Details of the India-Pakistan air engagement have not been provided by either side. If the US report turns out to be true, it would be a further blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modis claim that India had taught Pakistan a lesson.

The success of Indian air strikes on a camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group in northwestern Pakistan has also been thrown into doubt after satellite images showed little sign of damage.

High-resolution satellite images reviewed by Reuters last month showed that a religious school run by Jaish appeared to be still standing days after India claimed its warplanes had hit the groups training camp on the site and killed a large number of militants.

Modis ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, heading into a tight election next week, is campaigning on a platform of tough national security, especially with regard to arch foe Pakistan. New Delhi blames Pakistan for stoking a 30-yearRead More – Source

[contf]
[contfnew]

alarabiya

[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]

Related Articles

Back to top button