Eight aircraft of the Indian air force and 24 Pakistani fighter took part in a dogfight on Wednesday, February 27

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Eight aircraft of the Indian air force and 24 Pakistani fighter took part in a dogfight on Wednesday, February 27. This was announced on Thursday by the Indian channel NDTV.

According to the channel, with the Pakistani side in the battle was attended by eight multi-purpose American-made fighters F-16 Mirage four-3 of the French production, four joint Chinese-Pakistani fighter JF-17 Thunder. The other planes were escort fighters. The Indians, as stated in the message, raised the alarm eight aircraft – four su-30MKI fighters, two Mirage-2000 and two MiG-21.

According to NDTV, Indian air force, despite a three-fold numerical superiority of the enemy, were able to prevent the Pakistani aircraft to apply precision strikes on ground targets in the Indian-controlled disputed territory of Kashmir. However, the Pakistani aircraft managed to drop bombs with laser guidance.

The details of the first major air battle between the Indian and Pakistani fighters since the third Indo-Pakistani war of 1971 became known on the eve of the expected return from the captivity of the Pakistani commander of the aviation unit Abhinandana of Varthamana. The pilot chased the Pakistani F-16 and knocked him down with a missile “air – air” R-73. At this point his plane was struck by a missile AMRAAM, then Vanhanen ejected and landed on Pakistan-controlled territory where he was captured, reports TASS.

On Thursday, the Indian authorities also provided the missile of class “air – air” AMRAAM American production, which are armed with Pakistani F-16 aircraft. As stated at a press conference in new Delhi, the Vice-Marshal of the Indian air force R. Kapoor, these fragments prove the participation of the fighters of the Pakistan air force in the attack on India on Wednesday.

“We have enough evidence to demonstrate that the F-16 was used in this mission. The missile of class “air – air” AMRAAM, which are a Pakistani F-16 was discovered to the East of Rajauri (a city in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. – Approx. TASS) in the Indian territory,” he said.

The reason for the tension between new Delhi and Islamabad was the attack on 14 February in Jammu and Kashmir on a convoy of Indian military, which claimed the lives of 45 people. Responsibility for the attack claimed by a radical separatist group “Jaish-e-Muhammad (Army of Muhammad”). Last Tuesday, India launched an air strike on the camp of this group in the Pakistan-controlled part of Kashmir. The Pakistani military, in turn, reported that aircraft of the Indian air force invaded the airspace of the country, but damage and casualties were not.

On Wednesday, the Pakistani air force responded by hitting on Indian military targets, but also reportedly shot down two fighter jets of the Indian air force violated, according to Islamabad, the country’s airspace. New Delhi also made a statement that was shot down by a Pakistani multi-role fighter F-16.

Pakistani foreign Ministry also issued a statement, which indicated that the aircraft of the Islamic Republic flew over the line of demarcation and worked demonstration missile attack on non-military objectives away from populated areas.

After the aggravation of the situation on the border in Pakistan were closed five airports, including the capital Islamabad. They stopped passenger service on domestic and international flights. In turn the Indian company Vistara announced the termination of flights to Jammu and Kashmir, forcing international airlines to find the flight routes to bypass these areas.

The situation in Jammu and Kashmir – the only state in India where the majority are Muslims, remains intense for many years. In the Indian part of the active group campaigning for separation from India. New Delhi accuses Islamabad of supporting terrorism, Pakistan denies these allegations.