‘The message and not the number is what counts in the Balakot air strike’

New Delhi, Mar 04: There have been debates over the number of terrorists who have been killed at the Balakot terror facility being run by the Jaish-e-Mohammad. Some have placed the number 300 while others at 250.

OneIndia spoke with former Research and Analysis Wing officer, Amar Bhushan to understand what the casualty may have been. Bhushan in fact had played a very crucial role in mapping the facility seer.

Bhushan says that to say that in such operations, the numbers really don't matter, but also adds that he does not believe that the terror camp would have been empty. I am sure that there were casualties following the air strike.

Balakot was a known terrorist camp. It is not now, but 15 years back itself, we had mapped it out.These targets were on the radar of the Indian establishment for long.

With regard to the number of terrorists killed in the operation, Amar Bhushan says that the numbers really dont matter. The fact is that an identified camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammad has been hit. It was a regular structured base, where terrorists were trained.

I would say that by hitting the camp, India has conveyed a very strong message.

The other message that we have conveyed is that we know where they are are and what support they are getting. I am sure that the loses have been great in number. I cannot believe it when someone says that the terror camps would have been emptied.

Pakistan earlier would hold a prayer meeting and name them. Now they have completely stopped publishing the names.

Back in the day, we would codify the names of those who died in the Kashmir conflict and issue it. That is when they started believing us. Don't worry about the numbers for now, the names and figures will be out soon, says Amar Bhushan.