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‘We hit the target, IAF only counts targets, not casualties” Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa on Balakot air strike

On Monday, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa said the “target was hit” in the course of the recent air strike on terrorist camps of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Pakistan by India.

‘If we plan to hit the target, we hit the target’: IAF dismisses Pakistan’s claim of bombs landing in jungle

B S Dhanoa alo said that the fatality figure in the air strike on the Balakot camp is going to be given out by the government, however declaring that the Indian Air Force does not count the number of dead.

Air Chief Marshal cleared all the queries which have been raised recently on the Indian Air Force air strikes. He said “The target has been clearly amplified by Foreign Secretary in his statement. If we plan to hit the target, we hit the target, otherwise why would he (Pak PM) have responded, if we dropped bombs in the jungles why would he respond.”

He also added his statement by saying that the Indian Air Force (IAF) is not in a position to make clear the number of casualties. He said, “The government will clarify that. We don’t count human casualties”.

He also added, “We don’t count human casualties, we count what targets we have hit or not.”

“Government Counts Casualties, Not Us”: Air Chief Amid Row Over Balakot

When he was questioned about the use of the MiG 21 Bison, which was amongst the IAF aircraft castoff to drive back the Pakistan fighter jets that violated Indian airspace, Dhanoa answered the question by saying, “The MiG-21 Bison is in our inventory, why not use it?…I will not comment on the ongoing operation because they are still ongoing.

He added, “The Mig-21 Bison is a capable aircraft, it has been upgraded; it has better radar, air-to air missiles and better weapons system…. We fight with all the aircraft in the inventory. Remember the initiative is always with the adversary.”

He also said, “One is a planned operation in which you plan and carry out an operation. But when an adversary does a strike on you, every available aircraft goes in, irrespective of which aircraft it is. All aircraft are capable of fighting the enemy”

The Air Chief’s statements come just a day after Amit Shah claimed that more than 250 terrorists were killed in the IAF air strike deep inside Pakistan.

BJP president Amit Shah said on Sunday, “After the Uri attack, the army did a surgical strike. After the Pulwama attack, people said there could not be a surgical strike due to the high level of alertness. But on the 13th day, the Narendra Modi government carried out an air strike, and more than 250 terrorists were killed without suffering any losses”.

In his first statements from the time when the February 26 attack was conducted on a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp in Balakot in Pakistan, Dhanoa said that the Rafale jet should come into India’s inventory by September.

By reacting to a question on the topic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s proclamation that Rafale jets would have a made a difference, he said, “Honourable Prime Minister has made the statement. I will not comment on that.”

Mentioning to Pakistan using F-16 aircraft in its attacking in contradiction of India last week, Dhanoa said, “I don’t know what is the end-user agreement between America and Pakistan. If the end-user agreement was that they will not use it for offensive purposes, then I think they have violated that end-user agreement.”

He said, India has portions of the AMRAAM missile which it exposed. He added, “Obviously, I think they have lost a F-16 aircraft in that combat. So, obviously, they have been using that aircraft against us”.

When Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa was asked if Wing Commander Abhinandan will fly again or not, he replied, “Whether he flies or not depends on his medical fitness. That’s why post ejection, he has undergone medical check. Whatever treatment is required, will be given. Once we get his medical fitness, he will get into fighter cockpit again.”

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