WNAM MONITORING: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that the country’s air force shot down six Indian fighter jets, including four French-made Rafales, during the latest military conflict with its archrival India.
Addressing a ceremony commemorating Azerbaijani Independence Day in Lachin city, Sharif said the Pakistan Air Force shot down the Indian jets on the first day of hostilities, which began on the intervening night of May 6 and 7.
India has not officially responded to Pakistan’s statement regarding the downing of fighter jets, though New Delhi admitted that it suffered losses during the clashes.
The latest crisis was sparked by an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, where unidentified gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Indian tourists, in Pahalgam.
New Delhi said the attack had “cross-border links,” but Islamabad denied and offered a neutral probe.
The incident led to an exchange of blame and denials, eventually escalating to retaliatory airstrikes and drone attacks. Tensions eased somewhat after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire on May 10, which still holds.
