The apparently well-planned assault on a strategic military target just 25 km (16 miles) from the border has put pressure on an attempt by prime ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif to improve historically fraught relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
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“The attack is a message by Mujahideen (militants) that no sensitive installation of India is out of our reach”, said UJC spokesman Syed Sadaqat Hussain in a statement, a copy of which was seen by Reuters.
In an article in the Daily Beast, Riedel said the attacks in Pathankot and on the Indian Consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif in northern Afghanistan was the handiwork of Pakistani terror group Jaish-e-Muhammad which the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) created 15 years ago.
According to a statement issued by the Indian government, Modi called for “firm and immediate action against those responsible for the air base attack”, based on specific and actionable information provided to Pakistan. Later, an operation was launched to neutralize the threat.
Foreign Office of Pakistan had soon after the start of the attack offered India its cooperation in dealing with terrorism stating the challenge of terrorism calls for strengthening our resolve of the two countries to a cooperative approach.
The home ministry initially said the attack was contained the same day, however it later emerged that militants were still at the site.
Up to the latest updates at least 11 Indian Air Force personnel have lost their lives in the attack, 8 are injured while 5 terrorists have been killed in retaliation.
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Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had called up Prime Minister Modi yesterday and assured that their government was working on the leads and information provided by the Indian Government on the Pathankot attack, adding that they would investigate the matter. The reluctance of officials to declare the mission complete appeared to reflect an abundance of caution until all the attackers’ bodies had been accounted for. “But every inch of the air base has to be secured before we call off the operation”, said the official in New Delhi, who requested anonymity. Officials said the firing was linked to the mopping operation. “We can not say right now that all militants are killed”, air force spokeswoman Rochelle D’Silva said. “Our biggest concern is to protect public spaces”, Kumar said. Kumar had said the probe was at an initial stage and refused to confirm if Pakistan’s external spy agency ISI had a role to play in the incident.
