LIVE! Govt: Several killed in preemptive strike on Jaish camp

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale confirms target was chosen to avoid civilian casualties; JeM camp was run by Maulana Yusuf Azhar, brother-in-law of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar.India has confirmed a non-military preemptive strike on a major Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said the target was chosen to avoid civilian casualties. He said the camp was run by Maulana Yusuf Azhar, brother-in-law of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar.

"In an intelligence lead operation in the early hours today, India struck the biggest training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot. This non-military pre-emptive action was specifically targetted at the biggest JeM camp in Balakot and a very large number of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commander and Jihadis were eliminated. The camp was controlled by Maulana Yusuf Azhar, the brother-in-law of Jaish-E-Mohammed head, Masood Azhar.


The camp is located at a hilltop in deep forests far away from civilian settlements. The selection of the target was done to avoid civilian casualties."

Since the strike has just taken place, the FS said more information is expected.