Balakot terror camp reactivated again, 500 infiltrators waiting to enter India: Army Chief Bipin Rawat

The Army Chief General Bipin Rawat claimed that the terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot, which was destroyed by the Indian Army, has been reactivated again.

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New Delhi: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Monday informed that as many as 500 terrorists were waiting across the border to infiltrate into the Indian territory. He said that soon after the temperature starts falling, the terrorists would be pushed into the Indian territory through areas which have less snow.

Speaking at the Young Leaders Training Wing program in Chennai, the Army chief said that the terror camp in Pakistan's Balakot, which was destroyed by the Indian Air Force in February to avenge the terror attack on CRPF personnel in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir, has been 'reactivated'.

"Let me tell you, Balakot has been reactivated by Pakistan very recently. Obviously that shows that Balakot was affected and damaged and destroyed. That is why people had got away from there," Rawat said at a press conference held in Chennai on Monday. "We know how to deal with ceasefire violations. Our troops know how to position themselves and take action. We are alert and will ensure that maximum infiltration bids are foiled," he said.

The Balakot airstrike was carried out by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in February 2019, just days after 40 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were martyred in an attack on a convoy by terrorists. Following the airstrike, IAF chief Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa had said that its military objective was achieved.

The Army Chief also responded to questions on communication breakdown in the Valley, saying "There is a communication breakdown between terrorists in the Kashmir Valley and their handlers in Pakistan but there is no communication breakdown amongst people. All the telephones lines have been opened up."

Earlier today, Jammu inspector-general of police (IG) Mukesh Singh also informed that at least six terrorists alone are active in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar. 

A fleet of IAF jets had destroyed terror launch pads in Balakot in a pre-dawn aerial attack carried out on February 27, 2019. During the aerial confrontation, Wing Commander Abhinandan Vardhaman brought down a Pakistani F-16 but was taken prisoner near the Line of Control. He was later released by Islamabad.