Four of the gunmen were killed in a shoot-out with security forces early on Saturday morning.
Exchanges of fire are believed to have ended at the base in Pathankot, located about 50km from the Pakistan border.
The air base has been cordoned off and a heavy contingent of police have been deployed to the area, with elite paramilitary force of the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Guard Commando Force called in.
Helicopters have also been dispatched to the IAF base to assist in the operation.
It is believed that at least two Indian soldiers were also killed.
A senior Indian police officer said that a red alert has been issued across Punjab state in the wake of the incident.
Al Jazeera's Faiz Jamil, reporting from New Delhi, said the attack began at around 3.30am local time (22:00 GMT) and that the attackers had entered the base wearing military uniforms.
"Officials are not sure yet who these gunmen are," he said, adding that officials were saying that the remaining attackers had been contained to a non-operational area of the base.
Pathankot is the road and rail gateway to India-administered Kashmir, which has witnessed armed rebellion against Indian rule.
According to early accounts, the attack resembled a similar raid last year by gunmen on a border town in Punjab that killed nine people.
India blamed that attack on assailants who had infiltrated from Pakistan.
The latest attack is likely to deal a blow to attempts to revive political dialogue between the two nuclear-armed neighbours after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an impromptu visit to Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif in late December.
One Indian home ministry official said Punjab and Jammu states were on high alert and all defence bases had been sealed.
"Attacking an air base is a serious security threat. The new strategy of the terrorists is to identify defence bases near the border and launch attacks," said the official, who was not authorised to comment on the record.
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
2/1/16
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At least two militants were killed in gunfight with security forces and police when they attacked an air base in the northern Indian state of Punjab near the Pakistan border early Saturday morning, said security forces.
ReplyDeleteAt least six militants in army uniform entered the Pathankot airbase at around 04:00 a.m. local time, triggering a gunfight with security forces, local TV channels quoted security forces as saying.
The attackers earlier kidnapped a local police chief and killed another policeman before entering the air base, according to TV reports.
While two attackers have been killed, at least four others are still at large and could have escaped to some residential areas nearby, said reports.
Earlier reports had put the number of militants killed at four.
Security forces have sent helicopters and reinforcement to look for the remaining attackers and India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is personally monitoring the the situation, according to local TV reports.
Although no Mig 28 fighters and helicopters at the air base were damaged in the attack, at least six air force men were injured, according to the reports.
Authorities said they received reports of possible terrorist attacks during the new year period and had heightened alert in places which could be targeted.
Indications said the attackers could belong to the Jaish e Mohammed militant group based in Pakistan, said TV reports.
http://www.china.org.cn/world/2016-01/02/content_37439783.htm
2/1/16
Индия будет надлежащим образом отвечать на террористические атаки на своей территории...
ReplyDeleteОб этом журналистам заявил индийский министр внутренних дел Раджнатх Сингх после нападения, предположительно, пакистанских боевиков на базу индийских военно-воздушных сил (ВВС) в Патханкоте в штате Пенджаб. "Пакистан - наш сосед, и мы хотим мира, но любая террористическая атака на Индию получит надлежащий ответ", - заявил он и добавил, что "гордится военнослужащими", которые нейтрализовали нападавших. Нападение на базу ВВС произошло минувшей ночью. В результате перестрелки погибли двое военнослужащих и ликвидированы четверо боевиков. В настоящий момент операция силовиков продолжается - на базе слышны выстрелы. Военные считают, что еще трое боевиков могли укрыться на территории базы. Зачистка территории осуществляется, в том числе, с воздуха......http://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/2569291
2/1/16