Colombo, May 9 (IANS) Sri Lanka’s leading newspapers in Colombo carried full-page advertisements on Saturday commemorating ‘Operation Sindoor’, India’s decisive military action against terror infrastructure and also tributes to the people killed in the terror attack in Pahalgam.
The ads appeared across English, Sinhala, and Tamil editions of the dailies in Colombo.
The advertisements, relating to the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam terror attack paid special tributes to the 26 innocent people who lost their lives in the brutal massacre by Pakistan-based terrorists.
India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, on Saturday shared images of front-page advertisements published in several leading newspapers on his ‘X’ handle.
The advertisements, which appeared in prominent English, Tamil and Sinhalese newspapers across the island nation, were published as part of an initiative undertaken by members of the Indian community in Colombo.
The campaign paid tribute to the Indian armed forces for carrying out ‘Operation Sindoor’, launched on May 7, 2025, in response to terror activities.
The military operation involved precision strikes on nine high-value terrorist camps linked to outfits including Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, and underscored India’s policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism.
Sharing the newspaper front pages, Santosh Jha highlighted the commemorative outreach that reflected solidarity with the victims of terrorism and support for India’s anti-terror efforts.
One of the advertisements carried on the front page of the Weekend Mirror read, “Operation Sindoor. Lest we forget the innocent blood spilled at Pahalgam. Tributes to our bravehearts who delivered justice. A lesson to the cowards that hide behind terror.”
The tribute advertisements also featured visuals associated with mourning and remembrance, while strongly condemning the Pahalgam terror attack.
“Operation Sindoor front page publication by Indians in Colombo in leading dailies in English, Sinhalese and Tamil newspapers — highlighting the heinous terror attacks on April 22, 2025, at Pahalgam; paying tributes to our bravehearts who delivered justice during Operation Sindoor; Stressing zero tolerance for terrorism,” Jha posted on ‘X’.
The initiative in Sri Lanka, coming one year after the operation, is being viewed as part of India’s broader diplomatic outreach aimed at reinforcing its global position against terrorism.
‘Operation Sindoor’ was carried out in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which Pakistan-backed terrorists brutally massacred 26 innocent people. The Resistance Front — an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) — claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attackers singled out victims after asking about their religion, forcing them to recite the Islamic ‘kalima’ to identify non-Muslims. Among those killed were 25 tourists and one local pony ride operator who tried to save the tourists.
Several victims were newly married, and many were shot at close range in front of their families.
In response to the attack, Indian armed forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ on May 6 and 7, carrying out what officials described as a focussed, measured and non-escalatory military action targeting high-value terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.
‘Operation Sindoor’ was a significant demonstration of India’s military and strategic capability, combining both military and non-military measures.
The operation successfully neutralised terrorist threats, deterred further aggression and reinforced India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism while maintaining strategic restraint.
–IANS
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