India carries out air strikes in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir

India carried out "non-military, pre-emptive" air strikes in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir killing "a very large number of terrorists," claimed Vijay Gokhale, Indian Foreign Secretary, at a press conference in New Delhi.

Indian residents participate in a demonstration to support Indian armed forces in Ahmedabad on February 26, 2019, following an Indian Air Force (IAF) strike launched on a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) camp at Balakot. [Photo: AFP]

India maintains that UN designated terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed was planning more attacks in the country after Pulwama attack that killed 41 Indian paramilitary personnel on February 14.

However, Pakistani military spokesperson Major-General Asif Ghafoor tweeted: "Pakistani air force jets were scrambled to respond, forcing the Indian aircraft to release [their] payload in haste while escaping."

Meanwhile, China has called for restraint from both sides.

"India and Pakistan are both important countries in South Asia. To maintain good relations and communication is conducive to regional security," said Lu Kang, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a regular press conference on Tuesday.