New Delhi - During 'Operation Sindoor', India had sent several drones towards Pakistan's Sargodha Air Force Base and the Kirana Hills to detect radars. Speaking at an event organised by the Vivekananda International Foundation, retired Indian CDS Anil Chauhan clarified that one of the drones may have crashed into one of the hills.

Information provided by Anil Chauhan

Questions have repeatedly been raised over whether the Kirana Hills were attacked, since Pakistan's nuclear facilities are located there. Before the strikes, we had sent a large number of drones towards Sargodha, with the Kirana Hills located approximately 10 km north of it. The drones were being used to locate radars in and around Sargodha.

These weapons have a limited operational endurance and can remain airborne for about two hours. If they fail to find a target, they eventually descend and crash somewhere. One of them may therefore have come down on one of the hills. This could explain the speculation, particularly since Pakistani media had also shown photographs purportedly showing smoke rising from the Kirana Hills.

On the claim that US President Donald Trump had mediated the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, Chauhan said that the ceasefire had simply been agreed upon by the DGsMO (Directors General of Military Operations) of the two countries. "I see no role for anyone else in this. How did this information reach the Americans and how was a post made about it even before we made the official announcement ? I am absolutely certain that the information did not come from us. I believe it must have come from the other side (Pakistan)."