Gunmen attack Indian air base

�Three IAF men, four terrorists killed�

Suspected Islamist gunmen staged a pre-dawn attack on a key Indian air base near the Pakistan border Saturday with at least two militants killed in a shootout, officials said, striking a blow to the neighbours' fragile peace process, reports AFP.
At least four gunmen suspected to be from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed Islamist group dressed in army uniforms infiltrated Pathankot air base in northern Punjab state at around 3:30 am (2200 GMT), said Indian officials. The state broadcaster’s reports mentioned that three security personnel had died at the base, which was not confirmed by the officials.
Special commandos secured the Pathankot air force base 14 hours after it was infiltrated by gunmen wearing army uniforms — a rare targeting of an Indian military installation outside disputed Kashmir.

“We have recovered four dead bodies and are searching for more. Our men are sanitising the area,” H. S. Dhillon, a senior police chief for the Punjab region told AFP.
An army official confirmed the operation had ended and forces were checking the area for residual explosives.
It comes a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a surprise visit to Pakistan, the first by an Indian premier in 11 years, and threatens to derail talks between the nuclear-armed rivals, who have fought three wars since independence in 1947.
“We want peace but if terrorists carry out attacks on Indian soil we will give them a befitting reply,” Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in televised remarks.
A protest broke out on the road leading to Pathankot base in the early afternoon Saturday as angry residents burned effigies apparently intended to resemble Pakistani militants, an AFP journalist at the scene said.
“At least two of the attackers are dead,” regional police chief Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh said, adding that six to seven security officers were injured, some critically.

 

Gunmen attack Indian air base

�Three IAF men, four terrorists killed�

Suspected Islamist gunmen staged a pre-dawn attack on a key Indian air base near the Pakistan border Saturday with at least two militants killed in a shootout, officials said, striking a blow to the neighbours fragile peace process, reports AFP. At least four gunmen suspected to be from the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed Islamist group dressed in army uniforms infiltrated Pathankot air base in northern Punjab state at around 3:30 am (2200 GMT), said Indian officials. The state broadcasters reports mentioned that three security personnel had died at the base, which was not confirmed by the officials. Special commandos secured the Pathankot air force base 14 hours after it was infiltrated by gunmen wearing army uniforms a rare targeting of an Indian military installation outside disputed Kashmir. We have recovered four dead bodies and are searching for more. Our men are sanitising the area, H. S. Dhillon, a senior police chief for the Punjab region told AFP. An army official confirmed the operation had ended and forces were checking the area for residual explosives. It comes a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a surprise visit to Pakistan, the first by an Indian premier in 11 years, and threatens to derail talks between the nuclear-armed rivals, who have fought three wars since independence in 1947. We want peace but if terrorists carry out attacks on Indian soil we will give them a befitting reply, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said in televised remarks. A protest broke out on the road leading to Pathankot base in the early afternoon Saturday as angry residents burned effigies apparently intended to resemble Pakistani militants, an AFP journalist at the scene said. At least two of the attackers are dead, regional police chief Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh said, adding that six to seven security officers were injured, some critically.