Timeline of 2019 India-Pakistan Military Conflict

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Background: India and Pakistan are old enemies, having fought multiple wars against each other. (See India-Pakistan Wars) The main source of conflict between them is the issue of a region known as Jammu-Kashmir. Both sides claim rightful ownership, and each side controls a portion of this region. An internal insurgency began in Indian-controlled Kashmir in the late 1980s, but that insurgency has enjoyed significant aid from Pakistan, which has led to frequent border fighting between India and Pakistan, and one significant named war between them, the Kargil War of 1999.

Kashmir Map-India and Pakistan

 

In February of 2019, a significant incident took place that has brought the two nuclear-armed foes to the brink of war. Here is the timeline of the 2019 India-Pakistan Conflict.

February 14, 2019-Terrorist Bombing in Kashmir-Indian military convoy hit by a vehicle in a suicide bombing attack. The attack killed 40 Indian troops, and wounded 35 more. The Pakistan-based Islamist militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack took place in the Pulwama district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

The Indian government, which was preparing for national elections about two months away, vowed to hold Pakistan responsible for the attack.

February 18, 2019-India Captures Jaish Terrorist Leader-Indian security forces in Kashmir conducted anti-terror raids on local militants, capturing a Pakistani national who India claimed was the mastermind behind the Pulwama bombing attack and a leader in the Jaish-e-Mohammed group.

February 26, 2019- Indian Air Strike and Mortar Fire Along Border-Twelve Mirage 2000 jets of the Indian Air Force crossed the Line of Control (the border between the Pakistani and Indian controlled parts of Kashmir) dropping bombs into Balakot, Pakistan at a location that India claimed held a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp. India claimed that their bombing run and killed, between 300 and 350 Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists. Pakistan claimed that the bombs fell into empty fields. Pakistani warplanes responded to the air raid. This attack on Balakot was the first air strike into national territory (other than in Kashmir) since the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War.

In addition to the air strike, border clashes occurred with mortar attacks and small-arms fire, with Pakistan reporting the death of four civilians and the wounding of 11 more civilians.

February 27, 2019-Air Strikes, Indian Plane Shot Down, and Artillery Fire Along Border-Pakistan retaliated with an air strike of its own, sending six warplanes to conduct air attacks inside Indian-controlled Kashmir. Indian warplanes followed the Pakistanis back across the Line of Control, where at least one Indian plane was shot down. The Indian military also claimed to have shot down a Pakistani plane. The Indian pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was captured inside Pakistan.

Artillery exchanges continued along the border, with India reporting that ten of its soldiers were wounded in the fighting.

March 1, 2019-Pilot Released but Artillery Fire Continues-Pakistan released the captured Indian pilot, but then only hours later, both India and Pakistan engaged in artillery battles along the border, causing casualties on both sides.

March 2, 2019-Artillery Fire Continues-Artillery fire continued along the border as each side fired at the other. Civilian and military casualties were reported by both sides.

March 3, 2019-Militants, Security Officers Die in Kashmir-In a security operation begun on Friday, March 1, a 56-hour standoff in the Babagund area in Kashmir ended with five Indian security troops, two separatist militants, and a civilian dead.

Both India and Pakistan report the Line of Control border area was quiet.