"I salute the armed forces": UP Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya praises Indian army's response to Pakistan

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 9 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya commended the Indian armed forces on Friday for their effective response in intercepting drones launched by Pakistan and giving a befitting reply to Pakistan's actions.
Dy CM Maurya lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his decisive stance against terrorism and credited him for boosting the morale of the Indian military.
Speaking to ANI, Dy CM Maurya said, "After Prime Minister Modi's announcement that terrorists will not be spared, the armed forces have destroyed the terrorist hideouts and avenged the Pahalgam terror attack. I salute the armed forces and congratulate them. India has been successfully intercepting drones launched by Pakistan...Indian armed forces have always given a befitting reply to Pakistan...Bharat Mata ki Jai"
The Indian Army during the intervening night of May 8 and May 9 successfully repelled and responded to multiple drone attacks by Pakistan along the western border and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier in the day, addressing a press briefing, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi revealed that 300 to 400 drones were deployed across 36 locations, with several being shot down by Indian forces using both kinetic and non-kinetic methods. Initial investigations suggest the drones were Turkish-made Asisguard Songar models.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said during the press briefing, "On the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistani army violated Indian airspace several times over the entire western border to target military infrastructure. Not only this, the Pakistani army also fired heavy-calibre weapons along the Line of Control. Around 300 to 400 drones were used to attempt infiltration at 36 locations."
She added, "The Indian armed forces shot down many of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means. The possible purpose of such large-scale aerial intrusions was to test air defence systems and collect intelligence. Forensic investigation of the wreckage of the drones is being done. Initial reports suggest that they are Turkish Asisguard Songar drones..."
Escalating its tensions with India, Pakistan targeted Jammu using Hamas-style missiles to target multiple areas on Thursday, defence sources had told ANI.
The sources said the attack resembled a Hamas-style operation in Israel, where multiple cheap rockets were used to target cities.
Pakistan's attempted retaliation came in the wake of India's Operation Sindoor, where the Indian armed forces targeted nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday. (ANI)