Excerpts: Operation Bandar
December 30, 2019
Specialists from the National
Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) meanwhile on continuing basis were
obtaining latest satellite images of Balakot and its surroundings via ISRO
satellites to map the area precisely, breaking it down to the last detail about
the layout of the buildings in the campus, matching the inputs with information
from the ground obtained by the intelligence agencies to arrive at the
importance of each structure to narrow down the targets. The most important inputs
however came from two IB and R&AWs sources within the JeM who managed to
get inside the Balakot facility for three days between 19 and 22 February and send
information backed by pictures which clinched the decision to hit the camp. The
photos showed the training camp was alive and kicking and was in fact getting
ready to welcome 200 more trainees from 25 February.
The two
sources managed to document the entire facility visually and identify important
buildings and their occupants. Spread over few acres, the camp had 8 major
buildings and complexes devoted to various kinds of activities. Most important camp
was run by Masood Azhar’s brother-in-law Yusuf Azhar who resided in an
abandoned school complex on the campus.
Tragically, both the sources are
believed to have been killed in the IAF strike on 26 February. The invaluable
information and confirmation about the layout of the camp and movement of
important personnel in the compound helped India in precisely targeting specific
structures.
This is an excerpt from the book Securing India the Modi way: Balakot, A-Sat
missile test and more written by Nitin
A. Gokhale. Click here.
Excerpts is a series where we post thoughtful passages from
different books that provide for a quick and easy reading.
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