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No Surgical Strike, But Terrorist Infiltration Foiled from Balakote Sector, Says India

The ministry asserted it was not a surgical strike, as claimed (File PTI Photo)

Hours after a report said India made another surgical strike on Pakistan, the Ministry of Defence on Tuesday refuted the claims and said that Indian Army foiled an infiltration bid by Pakistan on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Balakote Sector. However, the ministry asserted it was not a surgical strike, as claimed.

Ministry, in an official statement, said that on Monday morning, two terrorists were detected by alert troops to be making attempts to cross the LoC onto the Indian side, “making use of inclement weather, dense fog, thick foliage, and undulating ground in Hamirpur area of Balakote Sector.”

Earlier today, a newspaper report claimed that Indian Army has once again carried out a surgical strike in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Quoting sources, the report claimed that Army destroyed four launching pads of Pakistani terrorists by entering 2.5 kilometers across the LoC on Saturday night.

It claimed that seven to eight terrorists were killed in India’s surgical strike and all the soldiers of the Indian Army returned safely after the mission.

WHAT MINISTRY SAID?

“Intelligence Inputs received from Multiple Intelligence agencies and Jammu and Kashmir Police revealed the presence of terrorists waiting to cross the LC from opposite own Balakote Sector. Based on these inputs own surveillance grid was placed on heightened alert and multiple ambushes were sited at suitable location,” the ministry’s statement read.

As the terrorists approached India’s ambush sites, they were challenged and then engaged with effective fire, the ministry said, adding that this forced the terrorists to flee from the ambush site by making use of weather and ground conditions.

“However effective fire resulted in one terrorist falling down on the ground near the LC. Additional troops were then moved into the area and search operations commenced in the afternoon after improvement of weather conditions and visibility,” it said.

During searches in the area, Indian Army recovered an AK 47 rifle with two magazines, 30 rounds, two grenades, and Pak-origin medicines.

Source: https://www.news18.com/india/surgical-strike-balakote-sector-indian-army-statement-terrorist-infiltration-bid-foiled-pakistan-8545251.html

Rising Number Of Russian, Chinese Nationals At US Southern Border Raises Security Concerns

House Republicans stated that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have intercepted an increasing number of foreign nationals from countries not in South or Central America, including Russia, and several high-value targets from China.

A Kinney County sheriff’s deputy arrests an illegal alien being smuggled from the U.S.–Mexico border, through Kinney County, Texas, on Sept. 10, 2022. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

In a June 21 Committee on Homeland Security hearing on Threats Posed to the Homeland by Nation-State Actors in Latin America, held by the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence, concerns were raised by several lawmakers regarding the potential dangers posed to the United States by an unsecured border.

During the hearing, Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) voiced his alarm and shared significant information regarding encounters with foreign nationals from various countries of concern.

“I am concerned that the chaos of the Southwest border could be taken advantage of by anti-U.S. regimes—not just can, but has been,” Pfluger said.

“Meanwhile, the PRC and our foreign adversaries are expanding their spheres of influence in Latin America, right in our backyard. … There are clear implications for U.S. Homeland Security.”

Pfluger highlighted the growing migration crisis resulting from the administration’s policy decisions, leading to significant increases in encounters at the Southwest border. Of particular concern were the encounters involving individuals from what he referenced as the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Russia.

He pointed out that several sheriff’s offices had reported apprehending multiple high-value targets from China, who were subsequently taken into custody by the FBI and cited data from the CBP showing increase in fiscal year 2023 encounters with nationals from various continents by border patrol along the Southwest border.

“In the first seven months of fiscal year 2023, over 9,711 PRC nationals were encountered by U.S. border patrol along our Southwest border exponentially more than the previous three years,” Pfluger said, warning that the “chaos of the Southwest border could be taken advantage of by anti-U.S. regimes.”

The lawmaker went on to emphasize that the expanding influence of China and other foreign adversaries in Latin America posed clear implications for U.S. homeland security. The chairman further stressed the urgent need to address the security challenges associated with nation-state actors in the region.

In his opening statement, Pfluger underscored China’s economic and security ties with Latin American countries like Brazil and Venezuela. He highlighted the substantial financial support provided by China, with loans amounting to approximately $137 billion offered to the region.

Source : https://www.zerohedge.com/political/rising-number-russian-chinese-nationals-us-southern-border-raises-security-concerns

Focus on security as PM Modi meets Bhutan king

PM Narendra Modi and visiting Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck reviewed bilateral cooperation Tuesday and discussed issues of national interests in a meeting, amid renewed efforts by Bhutan to demarcate parts of its boundary with China and uncertainty over the Doklam tri-junction.
While asserting the government was closely following all developments that had a bearing on India’s national interests, and would take all necessary measures to safeguard those, foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra also said ties with Bhutan were based on shared values including mutual sensitivity to each other’s concerns. The government reiterated its earlier statements on Doklam that said tri-junctions had to be finalised in consultation with all concerned countries.

“I would say that India and Bhutan remain in close touch relating to our shared interests, including security. I would only reiterate earlier statements on this issue which very explicitly bring out our position on trijunction boundary points,” said Kwatra on the Doklam issue, while not denying that the boundary issue was discussed in the king’s meeting with Modi.

The visit by the king had been in the works for many weeks but it took place days after Bhutan PM Lotay Tshering raised eyebrows by saying that Bhutan would be able to demarcate parts of its boundaries with China in “a meeting or two’’ and that there was no major border problem with China. He also said that all 3 countries will have an equal say in resolving the Doklam trijunction dispute. Tshering had later said he hadn’t said anything new and that Bhutan’s position on Doklam remained the same as in the past.

India maintains that any attempt to determine the tri-junction must be in line with the 2012 agreement between India and China that the tri-junction boundary points between India, China and third countries “will be finalized in consultation with the concerned countries’’. India had accused Beijing of violating this agreement in 2017 when China started to construct a road in the Doklam area.
The meeting also saw Modi reiterating India’s continued and full support to the socio-economic development in Bhutan, said the foreign secretary.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/focus-on-security-as-pm-modi-meets-bhutan-king/articleshow/99250190.cms?from=mdr