Operation to secure attack-hit Indian airbase over, militants dead, police say

PATHANKOT: A major operation to secure an Indian air force base attacked by suspected Islamist militants has ended, police said Saturday, 14 hours after gunmen wearing army uniforms infiltrated the installation in northern Punjab state.

“The operation is just over. All four terrorists are dead,” Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, Deputy Inspector General of police for Pathankot region, said.

Singh did not confirm reports that said up to three Indian security personnel had been killed carrying out the operation.

The attackers, suspected to be from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad Islamist group, struck at Pathankot airbase at around 3.30am (2200 GMT) .

“They are from Jaish, Jaish has claimed responsibility,” Indian army Lieutenant General Satish Dua told reporters in televised remarks.

The attack at the Pathankot air force base began a couple of hours before dawn, and by late morning it appeared that the violence had ended with the killing of the gunmen by Indian forces. But just two hours later, fresh gunfire erupted, with an air force helicopter firing at an area of the base. Shots could also be heard from inside the base, located about 430 kilometres north of New Delhi.

Air force spokeswoman Rochelle D’Silva said last night that troops were conducting combing operations of the entire base in order to be able to fully secure it. She added that the full number of casualties would be clear once the base was completely secured.

By 8pm, no gunfire had been heard around the base for more than two hours.

The defence ministry said there had been intelligence reports about a likely terror attack on military installations in Pathankot, and that the air force had been prepared to thwart any attackers.

Armed and ready

“Due to the effective preparation and coordinated efforts by all the security agencies a group of terrorists were detected by the aerial surveillance platforms as soon as they entered the Air Force Station (IAF) at Pathankot,” the ministry said in a statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the security forces for foiling the attack.

“Proud of our Jawans [soldiers] and security forces,” a tweet from the prime minister’s office’s handle in India quoted Modi as saying in Mysuru.

“Enemies of humanity who can’t see India progress, such elements attacked in Pathankot, but our security forces did not let them succeed,” Modi added.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh said: “Pakistan is our neighbouring country. We want good relations with not just Pakistan, but with all our neighbours. We also want peace but if there is any terror attack on India, we will give a befitting reply.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan has condemned the terror attack. In a statement issued in Islamabad, Pakistan’s foreign office extended heartfelt condolences to the government, people of India and the bereaved families. It also wished the injured people speedy recovery, Radio Pakistan reported.

Building on the goodwill created during the recent high level contacts between the two countries, Pakistan remains committed to partner with India to completely eradicate the menace of terrorism afflicting South Asian region, the statement added.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said that the attack on Pathankot IAF base was the first major challenge for the neighbours’ peace plan. “That was quick. Here’s the first major challenge to the PM [Narendra] Modi’s bold Pakistan gambit,” Omar wrote on Twitter about the Pathankot attack.

Omar also said, “The BJP now has to sidestep its previous ‘terror and talks can’t go together’ and insulate the Indo-Pak dialogue from such attacks.”

“From past experience, I’m sure it [will]emerge that these militants crossed over within the last few hours with the airbase as a specific target,” the opposition National Conference working president said.

The five heavily-armed Pakistani terrorists, who carried out the suicide attack on the Pathankot IAF base in the north Indian state of Punjab, are believed to have infiltrated into India on Wednesday-Thursday from a spot near Bamiyal village in Pathankot, located close to the international border.