Pulwama Terror Attack Anniversary 2023: A timeline of how events unfolded that day

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On February 14, 2019, forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were martyred when a CRPF convoy was targetted by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. The attack was followed by weeks of intense military skirmishes across the border between the two sides.

Here's a timeline of Pulwama terror attack:

14 February 2019:

- Forty CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir were killed when the two buses they were travelling in became the target of a suicide bombing. The buses were part of a larger convoy of paramilitary vehicles travelling along the highway in south Kashmir's Pulwama district.

- Shortly after the attack, JeM released a video claiming responsibility for the attack. In the video, the suicide bomber identified himself as a local Kashmiri jihadist Adil Ahmad Dar, a resident of Gundibagh, Kakapora in south Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Also Read: Pulwama Terror Attack Anniversary 2023: ‘Operation Bandar' of the Indian Air Force; know all about it

15 February 2019

- MEA accused Pakistan of supporting terrorism in a press statement. It said Pakistan has given full freedom to Masood Azhar, leader of JeM, to operate and expand his terror infrastructure in territories under Pakistan's control and to carry out attacks in India and elsewhere with impunity.

- Pakistan refuted India's claims of its hand in Pulwama attack. China maintained it stance that Masood Azhar was not a terrorist.
- Warning Pakistan that it cannot weaken India by orchestrating such attacks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said those responsible will pay "a very heavy price" and security forces will be given a free hand to deal with terrorists.

- Jammu witnessed curfews as a precautionary measure after protests over the Pulwama terror attack. Military forces were deployed to maintain law and order.

- India launched a diplomatic offensive against Pakistan where envoys of 25 countries were briefed on the Pulwama attack carried out by JeM.

- At least seven people were detained from Pulwama with alleged connections with JeM.

16 February 2019

- Political parties unanimously passed a resolution to support the security forces, soon after which customs duty on all Pakistani goods was increased to 200 per cent.

Also Read: Pulwama Terror Attack Anniversary 2023: Complete list of martyred CRPF jawans

- As India upped the ante, the foreign minister of Pakistan assured that they were more than willing to cooperate and find the persons responsible for the attack provided India is willing to share evidence of Pakistan's involvement in the lethal attack.

Indo-Pak ties deteriorate

- Following the attack, India revoked Pakistan's most favoured nation status while the customs duty on all Pakistani goods imported to India was raised to 200 per cent.

- The government of India urged the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) to put Pakistan on the blacklist. On February 17, the Jammu and Kashmir administration revoked security provisions for separatist leaders.

26 February 2019

- Twelve days after the strike on the CRPF convoy, in the wee hours of February 26, Indian Air Force jets bombed the JeM camp in Balakot, in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The airstrike was the first time since the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 that attacking warplanes had crossed the Line of Control.

- According to reports, 12 Mirage 2000 jets were involved in the operation. According to reports, 12 IAF jets took part in an operation to drop 1,000-kilogram bombs on Jaish-e-Mohammad camps across the Line of Control and in Pakistan. The operation reportedly led to the "complete destruction" of the JeM camp in Balakot sector of Pakistan.

27 February 2019

- Pakistan F-16s entered Indian airspace. Reports claimed they intended to target Indian military establishments. Two Indian MiG 21 Bisons and one F-16 jet were destroyed.

- Pakistan claimed to have captured two IAF pilots. It later changed its statement to say that only one IAF pilot was in Pakistan's custody. Pakistan released video of captured IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan.

- MEA confirmed that one IAF pilot was missing in action.

28 February 2019

- Imran Khan announced that Pakistan will release the captured IAF pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan, on Friday.

- Chiefs of three services held a press conference, presented proof of Pakistani F-16s being used against India on February 27 airstrike.