Colonel Sofiya Qureshi Leads Briefing on Operation Sindoor: A Strategic Counterterrorism Initiative
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi Takes Charge of International Briefing
New Delhi: The Indian government has appointed Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, a distinguished woman Army officer, to spearhead the international briefing regarding Operation Sindoor, a significant counterterrorism operation executed deep within Pakistani territory.
This decision to select a senior female officer to represent the tri-services operation conveys a powerful message about India's military prowess and its advancing leadership in strategic communications, according to an analyst.
At the press briefing for Operation Sindoor, Colonel Qureshi was joined by Wing Commander Vyomika Singh from the Indian Air Force, alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who collectively provided comprehensive details about the surgical strikes targeting nine terror infrastructure sites located up to 100 kilometers inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Operation Sindoor was initiated by the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy as a response to the terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, which resulted in the tragic deaths of 26 civilians, including a foreign national.
Destruction of Terror Hubs Linked to Notorious Figures
Targets linked to dreaded terrorists Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar
During her address, Colonel Qureshi disclosed that key terror hubs in Muzaffarabad, Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sialkot, and Kotli were effectively neutralized through precise air and ground strikes.
These sites have long been associated with the leadership of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), particularly Hafiz Saeed’s base in Muridke and Masood Azhar’s facility in Bahawalpur.
“These locations were not merely training camps; they served as fully operational launch pads for infiltrating militants into Jammu and Kashmir,” Colonel Qureshi emphasized. “We verified intelligence inputs through multiple sources to ensure accuracy, and the strikes were executed to avoid civilian casualties.”
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh elaborated on the precision of the air sorties, while Vikram Misri framed the attack within the broader context of cross-border terrorism. “This was a well-calibrated, proportionate response to an unprovoked massacre,” Misri stated.
India's Assertive Stance on the Global Stage
Powerful image on global stage
The appointment of Colonel Qureshi to lead the briefing reflects India's determination to convey clarity and confidence internationally.
Her composed and authoritative presentation was perceived as a strategic counter to Pakistan's habitual denial of terror affiliations, according to analysts.
“India advocates for peace, but not at the expense of its citizens' lives,” she asserted. “With Operation Sindoor, we have delivered a clear message to those who sponsor terrorism: your actions will have repercussions.”
The Indian government has also informed the United Nations Security Council and key global allies with intelligence dossiers regarding the operation and the involved groups, particularly The Resistance Front (TRF), which claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack and operates as a proxy for Lashkar-e-Taiba.