Due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, 24 airports in northern India have temporarily halted civil aviation flights.

Indian authorities have specifically closed airports in cities such as Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Ludhiana, and Amritsar (Punjab) for passenger flights, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

Major Indian airlines, including Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet, have cancelled more than 100 flights. It is expected that flight suspensions may be lifted by May 10 morning.

All airports in Pakistan continue to operate as usual, with any changes to flight schedules left to the discretion of individual airlines. Emirates, based in the UAE, had earlier suspended flights over Pakistan until May 10. Qatar Airways also announced that it would suspend flights to and from both India and Pakistan. In a military development, Pakistan's armed forces reported intercepting an additional six Indian drones over Punjab province.

On May 8 night, heavy artillery and small arms fire were exchanged between Indian and Pakistani forces in the Kashmir region, along the Line of Control (LoC)—the demarcation line between the two countries. Pakistani police confirmed that the exchanges resulted in four fatalities and 12 injuries. Indian military sources reported that one person was killed and two others injured in the Uri area of Jammu and Kashmir, an area administered by India. The Indian forces claimed that Pakistani troops launched artillery, mortar, and small arms attacks on their posts, prompting a retaliatory response.

Moreover, Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) thwarted an attempted incursion by an enemy group from Pakistan in the Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, located along a globally recognised segment of the border. Indian military officials reported the elimination of seven intruders and a retaliatory strike on a Pakistani post from which the attempt was launched. Indian forces also successfully intercepted several missile attacks on cities along the India-Pakistan border, downing up to 50 Pakistani drones.

The Indian side reported that Pakistan had attempted to strike 15 cities in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab. Air raid sirens were activated, and explosions were heard in multiple locations. India deployed its S-400 air defence missile system to intercept hostile missiles over its western border, with at least eight Pakistani missiles being shot down over Jammu and Kashmir. Several cities in the region have experienced power outages, and schools and universities have been closed.

Residents are reportedly stocking up on essentials in preparation for further escalation. Relations between India and Pakistan soured after a terrorist attack on April 22 in northern India, when militants opened fire on a group of tourists, killing 26 people. India blamed Pakistan for the attack. In retaliation, Indian forces launched airstrikes on Pakistani infrastructure and areas controlled by Islamabad in Kashmir on May 7 night, with Pakistani forces responding in kind.

By Naila Huseynova

Source: caliber.az