Pakistan claims downing 5 jets after Indian strikes

Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif claimed that the country had downed five Indian fighter jets in retaliation to India's missile strikes. He made this statement during an interview with Bloomberg on Wednesday (May 7).

Khawaja Asif, Pakistan's Defense Minister, also stated that several Indian soldiers have been captured as prisoners of war, according to Reuters.
In an interview, Asif said, "Five Indian planes, several unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), and some posts along the Line of Control (LoC) have been destroyed."

A spokesperson for Pakistan’s military confirmed that among the downed fighter jets, "three were French-made Rafales, one was Russian-made Su-30, and one was a MiG-29."

The Pakistani army clarified that these jets were targeted after Pakistan's territory was attacked.

On the other hand, Reuters reported that, according to an Indian government statement, India's armed forces launched "Operation Sindoor," which involved attacking nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Azad Kashmir.

However, India insists that "military installations of Pakistan's armed forces were not targeted in this operation."

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chowdhury, stated, "After India's missile attacks late Tuesday night, at least 8 people were killed and 35 injured in Kotli, Bhawalpur, Muridke, Bagh, and Muzaffarabad. Among the deceased, there are two children."

Tensions between India and Pakistan have been escalating since April 22, when a terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Indian-controlled Kashmir, resulted in 26 deaths. Since then, military clashes between the two countries have intensified.