What is Operation Blitz?
{{complex|date=June 2023}} '''Operation Blitz''' was a military operation carried out by [[Pakistan]], a country in Asia, in the early 1970s. This operation, also known as [[Operation Searchlight]], started fighting between Pakistan and what is now the country of [[Bangladesh]]. Operation Bltiz was an important event that happened before the Bangladeshi War of Independence.<ref>{{Cite web|last=ANI|date=2022-12-16|title=When Pakistan's Operation Blitz flopped and led to the birth of Bangladesh|url=https://www.indianarrative.com/opinion-news/when-pakistans-operation-blitz-flopped-and-led-to-the-birth-of-bangladesh-84430.html|access-date=2023-06-05|website=Indianarrative|language=en}}</ref> The origins of Operation Blitz can be traced back to the 1970 general elections in Pakistan. The Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, won a landslide victory in East Pakistan, which fueled demands for greater autonomy and eventually led to calls for an independent state. However, the West Pakistani establishment, fearing the loss of control and unwilling to accept the democratic mandate of the East, launched Operation Blitz on the night of March 25, 1971. Under the guise of restoring law and order, the Pakistani military initiated a massive operation targeting political dissidents, intellectuals, and Bengali nationalists. The operation aimed to suppress the growing movement for autonomy and independence in East Pakistan. Troops were deployed throughout the region, and a systematic campaign of violence, torture, and mass killings was unleashed on the population. Operation Blitz resulted in widespread atrocities and human rights abuses. The military engaged in indiscriminate violence, targeting civilians and committing acts of rape, arson, and murder. Bengali women were particularly vulnerable to sexual violence, which was used as a weapon to terrorize the population. Estimates of the number of people killed during the operation vary widely, with some sources suggesting that up to three million people lost their lives. T