First Surgical Strike Was Carried Out in September 2016, Confirms Top Indian Army Commander

The top officer of the Indian Army's Northern Command on Monday said that the first surgical strike was carried out by India in September 2016, in the latest comment on a protracted political battle between the BJP-led government at the centre and the opposition over authorising targeted counterattacks across the Line of Control.

Referring to a recent reply by the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) to a Right to Information (RTI) query, Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh said that the first surgical strike by the armed forces took place in September 2016, to avenge the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Uri, in which 19 soldiers were killed.

"A few days ago, DGMO said in a reply to an RTI that the first surgical strike happened in September 2016. I don't want to go into what political parties say, they will be given an answer by the government. What I have told you is a statement of fact," Lt General Singh said at a news conference, according to news agency ANI.