27 Feb 2019; DW: Pakistan on Wednesday said its military had carried out airstrikes in Indian-controlled Kashmir, shooting down two Indian jets in its own airspace and capturing one of the pilots.
"Today, Pakistan Air Force undertook strikes across Line of Control from within Pakistani airspace," foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said. Pakistan's airstrikes come after India launched an airstrike on what it said was a militant training base.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated since a suicide car bombing carried out by Pakistan-based militants in Kashmir mid-February.
Major General Asif Ghafoor wrote on Twitter that Pakistani troops on the ground had captured an Indian pilot. One of the planes crashed in Pakistan's part of Kashmir and the other went down in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
India and Pakistan close airports
Indian officials said three Pakistani jets had also entered Indian airspace, before being intercepted and forced to turn back.
The Indian air force has ordered Kashmir's main airport in Srinagar along with at least three others in neighboring states to close because of the two incidents, an official said.
Indian airlines have cancelled service to six cities in northern India. The airlines confirmed that flights to cities including Amritsar, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Jammu, Leh and Srinagar have been affected due to airspace restrictions
Hours later, Pakistani's Civil Aviation Authority also decided to shut its airspace to all commercial flights as tension with India escalate.
Pakistan 'fully prepared' to escalate
Foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said the "sole purpose of this action was to demonstrate our right, will and capability for self defense."
"We do not wish to escalate but are fully prepared if forced into that paradigm," he added.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang reiterated China's call for India and Pakistan to exercise restraint following the latest development in the conflict.
