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India says 6 gunmen killed, operation on to secure air base India says all 6 militants killed in air base siege
(34 minutes later)
PATHANKOT, India — An Indian official says six gunmen who attacked an air force base near the country’s border with Pakistan have been killed, and that an operation is underway to secure the compound. Seven Indian troops were also killed in the attack. PATHANKOT, India — Indian forces have killed the last of the six militants who attacked an air force base near the Pakistan border over the weekend, the defense minister said Tuesday, though soldiers were still searching the base as a precaution.
Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar also said Tuesday that no military hardware was damaged in the fighting at the Pathankot base, which has a fleet of India’s Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets and Mi-25 and Mi-35 attack helicopters. Manohar Parrikar stopped short of saying the operation was finished, but Indian officials have said repeatedly that only six gunmen were involved.
The attack began before dawn Saturday and dragged on as government troops struggled to contain the heavily armed attackers in the sprawling compound. At least twice it appeared that the attack had ended, but fresh gunfire and explosions erupted both times. Parrikar did not explain how just a handful of gunmen managed to paralyze a large Indian air base for almost four days, insisting that security forces had done “a commendable job.” Seven Indian soldiers were killed during the attack.
The attack took place despite early intelligence warnings. “I see some gaps (in intelligence) but we will be able to understand only after the investigation. But I don’t think we compromised on security,” he told reporters after touring the scene of the fighting. He noted that the base is large, and wooded in some places, making it difficult to pin down the gunmen.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below. Indian officials had been warned beforehand that an attack could be imminent at the Pathankot base, and had flown commandoes there in case of trouble. The warning came after the gunmen kidnapped an off-duty policeman near the base the day before the attack began, apparently to steal his vehicle. The policeman escaped, and warned security forces that a team of heavily armed militants was in the region.
Indian forces searched Tuesday for the last of six suspected gunmen who attacked an air force base near the Pakistan border and killed seven government troops in the nearly four-day siege. Parrikar said the militants’ weapons included AK-47 assault rifles with makeshift rocket launchers attached, mortar rounds that could be fired from the launchers, pistols, and 50-60 kilograms (110-130 pounds) of ammunition.
Air force spokeswoman Rochelle D’Silva said Tuesday “there has been no firing since Monday night at the base.” Indian security forces say they have killed five attackers, the fifth on Monday, and believe one remains on Pathankot air force base’s sprawling premises. In the first known claim of responsibility, the United Jehad Council, an alliance of 13 Kashmir-based rebel groups, claimed that its “highway squad,” which normally attacks military convoys, carried out the attack.
In the first apparent claim of responsibility, the United Jehad Council, an alliance of 13 Kashmir-based rebel groups, claimed its “highway squad” stormed the base. Alliance spokesman Syed Sadaqat Hussain said in a statement to Current News Service, which is based in the Indian portion of Kashmir, that the attack was a message to India that its security forces were not beyond the militants’ reach.
Alliance spokesman Syed Sadaqat Hussain issued a statement to Current News Service, based in the Indian portion of Kashmir, saying the attack carried a message for India that no security establishment was out of the militants’ reach. The council is based in Pakistan’s portion of Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between the countries but claimed in its entirety by both.
The council is based in Pakistan’s portion of Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between the countries and claimed in its entirety by both. Sharad Kumar, chief of India’s National Investigation Agency, has said that telephone intercepts suggested the attackers were from Pakistan. He gave no details on those intercepts in an interview Tuesday with the television news channel TimesNow.
Sharad Kumar, chief of India’s National Investigation Agency, said telephone intercepts suggested the attackers were from Pakistan. He did not give details in the interview with a television news channel TimesNow on Tuesday. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, on Tuesday, Modi’s office said in a statement, noting the Indian prime minister emphasized the need for Pakistan to act against those responsible for the attack.
The Pakistan Foreign Ministry said the government was in touch with the Indian government and “is working on the leads provided by it.” The attack followed Modi’s surprise recent visit to Pakistan and came days before top foreign ministry officials were to meet in Islamabad to discuss a range of outstanding issues, including Kashmir.
“The challenge of terrorism calls for strengthening our resolve to a cooperative approach,” the statement issued Monday said.
The attack precedes a meeting between top foreign ministry bureaucrats of the two countries in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on Jan. 15 to discuss steps to settle outstanding issues, including Kashmir.
The United Jehad Council said that by accusing Pakistan of every attack, India neither succeeded in maligning the Kashmir freedom struggle nor would it gain anything in the future. India without delay “should provide an opportunity to the people of Kashmir to decide their future,” Hussain said.
India accuses Pakistan of arming and training insurgents in its portion of Kashmir. Pakistan denies that and says it only provides moral and diplomatic support.India accuses Pakistan of arming and training insurgents in its portion of Kashmir. Pakistan denies that and says it only provides moral and diplomatic support.
The search operations will continue until all areas have been completely secured, Maj. Gen. Dushyant Singh, from India’s National Security Guard, told reporters. The attack began early Saturday morning and has dragged on as troops struggled to find the heavily armed attackers in the sprawling base, with forests and fields, homes for personnel based there and a school for their children. ___
The base has a fleet of India’s Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets and Mi-25 and Mi-35 attack helicopters, along with other military hardware. Officials said no military hardware was damaged in the fighting. Sullivan reported from New Delhi.
Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.