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Gunmen attack India air force base | Gunmen attack India air force base |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Four gunmen have been killed in a pre-dawn attack on an Indian air force base near Pakistani border, officials say. | |
Two soldiers at the Pathankot base were also killed in a gun battle lasting several hours. | Two soldiers at the Pathankot base were also killed in a gun battle lasting several hours. |
Operations at the base are continuing, with some reports saying gunmen are holed up in the base. | |
The incident came days after the Indian and Pakistani leaders Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif met in Lahore to launch a surprise peace initiative. | The incident came days after the Indian and Pakistani leaders Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif met in Lahore to launch a surprise peace initiative. |
The whole of India's Punjab state has been placed on alert. | The whole of India's Punjab state has been placed on alert. |
The base is on the main highway leading to Indian-administered Kashmir. | |
Militant allegation | Militant allegation |
The gunmen wore Indian military uniforms and drove a hijacked car when they launched the attack at 03:30 (22:00 GMT Friday). | The gunmen wore Indian military uniforms and drove a hijacked car when they launched the attack at 03:30 (22:00 GMT Friday). |
They entered living quarters at the base, but were contained there and so were unable to cause any damage to military hardware, said air force spokeswoman Rochelle D'Silva. | They entered living quarters at the base, but were contained there and so were unable to cause any damage to military hardware, said air force spokeswoman Rochelle D'Silva. |
On Saturday morning, fresh gunfire was heard and a helicopter seen firing at an area inside the base. | |
The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in Delhi says it is not yet clear who the attackers were but suspicion is already falling on Kashmiri militant groups based in Pakistan. | The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in Delhi says it is not yet clear who the attackers were but suspicion is already falling on Kashmiri militant groups based in Pakistan. |
Some Indian security officials suggested the Islamist militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed was to blame. | |
India says the group is backed by Pakistan, but Islamabad denies this. | India says the group is backed by Pakistan, but Islamabad denies this. |
In August seven people were killed in a similar attack when gunmen stormed a police station in nearby Gurdaspur district. | In August seven people were killed in a similar attack when gunmen stormed a police station in nearby Gurdaspur district. |
The three attackers in Gurdaspur were killed after a 12-hour standoff with police. | The three attackers in Gurdaspur were killed after a 12-hour standoff with police. |
Pathankot air force base is about 430km (270 miles) north of the Indian capital, Delhi and is on the road linking Indian-administered Kashmir with the rest of the country. | Pathankot air force base is about 430km (270 miles) north of the Indian capital, Delhi and is on the road linking Indian-administered Kashmir with the rest of the country. |
Indian-administered Kashmir has seen a long-running insurgency against rule from Delhi, and Kashmir has been a flashpoint in relations between Pakistan and India for nearly 70 years since independence. | Indian-administered Kashmir has seen a long-running insurgency against rule from Delhi, and Kashmir has been a flashpoint in relations between Pakistan and India for nearly 70 years since independence. |