BBC: India begins clearing debris from downed planes

A team of Indian military personnel have arrived in the Pulwama district's Pampore town, Indian-administered Kashmir, to remove the wreckage of a plane believed to have been shot down by Pakistan.

The wreckage is being removed using bulldozers while authorities secure the crash site, Caliber.Az reports, citing BBC.

An additional team of Indian Air Force personnel is at the scene to inspect the wreckage.

Indian forces have cordoned off the crash site by erecting barriers. Officials have not yet confirmed what type of aircraft it was or what country it belongs to.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have surged to alarming levels following a dramatic escalation of military activity between May 6 and 7, 2025—marking the most intense confrontation between the two nuclear-armed rivals in more than 20 years.

In the early hours of May 7, India launched a large-scale military operation dubbed Operation Sindoor, targeting multiple locations inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. According to Indian authorities, the strikes were in response to a deadly militant attack on Hindu pilgrims in Indian-administered Kashmir last month.

The Indian Air Force struck nine targets across Bahawalpur, Muridke, Kotli, Muzaffarabad, and Sialkot. Indian officials stated that the sites were used by militant outfits including Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The operation lasted just under half an hour and involved Rafale fighter jets armed with SCALP cruise missiles and AASM Hammer precision-guided munitions.

Islamabad strongly condemned the strikes, denouncing them as an "unprovoked and blatant act of war." Pakistani officials reported the deaths of at least 26 civilians and injuries to 46 others, including women and children. Damage was said to include mosques and residential areas in Kotli, Muzaffarabad, Bahawalpur, and Muridke.

In response, Pakistan claimed to have downed five Indian aircraft and carried out retaliatory missile attacks on Indian-held Kashmir, destroying a brigade-level military headquarters.

By Khagan Isayev