Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-27 15:47:51|Editor: Chengcheng

People and Indian army gather near the wreckage of an Indian aircraft after it crashed at village Garend Kalan of Budgam, about 34 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Feb. 27, 2019. A pilot and a co-pilot of Indian Air Force (IAF) were killed after a Mi-17 jet crashed Wednesday in Indian-controlled Kashmir, Indian officials said. Meanwhile, Pakistan army said on Wednesday the Pakistan Air Force has shot down two Indian fighter jets inside Pakistani airspace and ground troops arrested one pilot of the destroyed jet, according to a military statement. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan army said on Wednesday the Pakistan Air Force has shot down two Indian fighter jets inside Pakistani airspace and ground troops arrested one pilot of the destroyed jet, according to a military statement.

Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan army's media wing, Major General Asif Ghafoor said one of the aircraft fell inside Pakistan-administered Kashmir while the other fell inside Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"One Indian pilot arrested by troops on the ground," said the ISPR, adding that search for the other two pilots is in progress who are reportedly inside Pakistani side.

The military said the Indian fighter jets were intercepted and destroyed by the Pakistani side when they entered into Pakistani airspace on Wednesday morning after "Pakistan Air Force undertook strikes across Line of Control (LoC) from within Pakistani airspace."

Earlier Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that Pakistan Air Force has hit some targets inside Indian-controlled Kashmir, stressing that it was not a retaliation of Indian strikes inside Pakistani territory on Tuesday morning.

"Pakistan has, therefore, taken strikes at non-military target, avoiding human loss and collateral damage. Sole purpose being to demonstrate our right, will and capability for self-defense," it said.

The incident came a day after the Pakistani army said Indian fighter jets violated the LoC on Tuesday and released payloads in the Pakistani side.

India claimed that its air force had targeted a camp of Jaish-e-Muhammad group in Tuesday's attack. The group was blamed for the Feb. 14 suicide bombing on Indian paramilitary troops in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed some 40 people.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman said "we have no intention of escalation, but are fully prepared to do so if forced into that paradigm. That is why we undertook the action with a clear warning and in broad daylight."

The spokesman said India has been trying to establish what they called "a new normal a thinly veiled term for doing acts of aggression at whatever pretext they wish on a given day."

"If India is striking at so-called terrorist backers without a shred of evidence, we also retain reciprocal rights to retaliate against elements that enjoy Indian patronage while carrying out acts of terror in Pakistan," he added.

He said Pakistan does not wish to go to that route and wish that India gives peace a chance and to resolve issues like a mature democratic nation.