Kargil Vijay Diwas 2022: 5 facts you need to know about the Indo-Pak war

India is on Tuesday honouring the bravery of soldiers killed during the 1999 Kargil war. The Kargil war, yet another example of Pakistan's treachery, broke out between May and July 1999 along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Kargil area. Pakistani soldiers occupied the heights, aiming to target India's strategic interests and its integrity. But India prevailed decisively. It is now universally accepted that the Kargil conflict was not only a disaster for Pakistan, but it also subjected the country to global humiliation.

Her are 5 facts you need to know about Indo-Pakistan war:

1. Under the guise of 'Operation Badr,' Pakistan moved troops and paramilitary elements to the Indian side of the LoC. In Kargil, they occupied an area ranging from 130 to 200 square kilometres.

2. On May 3, 1999, 5000 Pakistani army entered and seized Kargil, a high-altitude rocky mountainous territory. When the Indian government learned of this, the Indian Army started 'Operation Vijay' to drive out the infiltrators who had treacherously invaded Indian land.

3. The Indian Air Force also played an important part in the struggle against Pakistan. On May 26, 'Operation Safed Sagar' was launched by the Indian Air Force (IAF) using fighter planes such as the Indian MiG-21, MiG-27, and Mirage 2000, and rockets and missiles were fired on Pakistani forces. Despite only one week of training, the pilots and engineers performed admirably throughout the operation.

4. Reports suggest that this battle made extensive use of rockets and explosives. 2.50 lakh shells, bombs, and rockets were launched. Every day, around 5000 artillery rounds, mortar bombs, and rockets were launched from 300 guns, mortars, and MBRLs, with 9000 shells fired on the day Tiger Hill was returned.

5. Soldiers such as Captain Manoj Kumar Pandey, Captain Vikram Batra, and Captain Keishing Clifford Nongrum, who sacrificed their lives to secure Kargil hill, were posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra and Mahavir Chakra.