Mandi, July 26 -- Reflecting on the 27th anniversary of the Kargil War, Brigadier (Retd.) Khushal Thakur, who commanded the 18 Grenadiers during the 1999 conflict, has described the Battle of Tololing as the toughest phase of 'Operation Vijay' and the definitive turning point that shifted the course of the war.

Speaking to ANI, the veteran officer recalled the onset of the 1999 conflict and mentioned that what initially seemed like a militant intrusion soon made clear that regular Pakistani troops were involved due to the intensity of the resistance.

"I clearly remember reaching Dras after moving from Kashmir. After four or five days of intense fighting, I realised this was not a handful of militants. Pakistan had deployed troops from t...