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Pathankot operation: All airbase assets secured, says army

by IBNS 04 Jan 2016, 07:48 am

Pathankot, Jan 4 (IBNS) All assets of the Pathankot airbase, which was under attack by Pakistan based terrorists, have been secured and are safe, said army officials on Monday, even as firing continued in the area.

"No damage to any one of them," said an army spokesperson, adding that situation is under control but operation is in progress. 
 
The operation is going with good synergy with Indian Army, IAF, NSG, and Punjab Police, said officials.  
 
Two more terrorists are possibly inside, they said.
 
Four terrorists have been eliminated so far, according to officials, though one more death is yet to be confirmed. 
 
 Heavy gunfire resumed in the Pathankot air base in Punjab on Monday morning, where the operation against holed in terrorists entered its third day, reports said. 

 So far, four to five terrorists have been killed, but at least one or two are suspected to be alive.

Operations at the air base, where terrorists had launched a pre-dawn attack on Saturday, had continued overnight.

Seven security personnel, including National Security Guard Lieutenant Colonel Niranjan Kumar, lost their lives.
 
Reports quoted Air Force authorities as saying that  two terrorists are holed up at the base -- from where Russian-made MiG-21 fighter jets and Mi-35 attack helicopters fly. 
 
One terrorist was killed on Sunday, though there is no official confirmation since the body is yet to be found.
 
On Sunday evening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with the National Security Adviser, foreign secretary and other officials to discuss the situation in Pathankot.
 
Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj met a group of diplomats to chalk out a strategy on Pakistan. Coming a week after PM Modi's "spontaneous" visit to Pakistan, the attack has triggered a debate over ties with the neighbouring country.