After three gruelling days of the Indian commandos’ counter-attack to the terrorists who infiltrated an Indian Air Force base in Pathankot on January 02, the exchange of gunfire still continues with reports claiming that the number of terrorists may be more than expected.
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“Through timely and prompt action by all agencies, the likely plan of the terrorists to destroy valuable assets of the Air Force has been foiled”, the Indian Defense Ministry had said in a statement at the time.
Though Sunday’s reports said five gunmen have been killed, officials confirmed to media only the killing of four gunmen.
The sprawling Pathankot air force base is spread over several kilometers (miles), including some forested sections.
Lashing out at the Centre in the wake of the Pathankot terror strike, the Shiv Sena today said it had warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to trust Pakistan and that time has now come for him to focus on India rather than trying to unite the world.
Pathankot: Guns fell silent this morning at the air base here even as the operation against terrorists entered its fourth day with security personnel engaged in search and combing operations to sanitise the installation. However, it was not clear whether all the intruders who attacked the base have been eliminated. Gen. Dushyant Singh, from India’s elite National Security Guard, told reporters. The operation was stepped up on Tuesday to scan every inch of the air base, an Air Force official at the base told IANS.
Manish Mehta, an Indian army spokesman, said the military was working at a “very fast pace” to defuse live hand grenades and gather the remains of the dead militants. It also said that India and Pakistan should remain “committed” to a sustained dialogue process.
Adding to the apprehension over Pakistan’s involvement in the terror attack are the ISI spies who have been caught under various circumstances by the India’s Central Bureau of Investigation.
The sources said the terrorists had used the vehicle of the Superintendent of Police of Gurdaspur, which men in army fatigues had hijacked in Pathankot on Friday after assaulting him and snatching away his mobile phone.
The Pathankot base and the northern state of Punjab, where it is located, has “probably the highest concentration of military personnel in India because it’s so close to the border with Pakistan”, Bedi said.
The responses to the weekend attack from both countries have been muted so far, with neither New Delhi nor Islamabad giving any indication that the planned talks are under any threat.
In Pakistan, Sharif’s foreign affairs adviser, Sartaj Aziz, said in a radio interview Saturday, as the attack was unfolding, that Pakistan wants to consolidate its improved relations with India.
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Kirby said the USA is encouraged by the government of Pakistan condemning this attack, and the statement that they have made about not discriminating among groups.
