New Delhi Jan 2 :
Suspected Pakistani terrorists today attacked an Air Force Base at Pathankot in Punjab. A top security official said, four attackers were killed in the ensuing encounter.
Two IAF personnel were also killed and 6 security men injured. At least four to five militants, believed to be from the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group, in army uniform launched the attack in the wee hours with an aim of destroying the air base.
A Defence spokesman said, the militants attacked Air Force base at 3:30 AM this morning.
Police said, the attack was launched soon after a combing operation was carried out by the army yesterday in the area between Air base installation and Chakki river.
The attackers were met with strong resistance from the security personnel who were already alert to the possibility of an attack.
The terrorists therefore could not enter the air base and managed to reach only to the langer area on the outside. Authorities said that the helicopters and other equipment at the Air base are safe.
Helicopters, NSG commandos and SWAT teams were engaged to kill the militants. The terrorists, with huge quantity of RDX in their possession, made their way to air force base from back side where there is a jungle.
After the incident, the combing operation has been launched in the border areas of Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts.
The intelligence agencies had alerted about a possible terror attack in the area. It is the second big terror attack in Punjab within a year after three militants stormed a police station in Dina Nagar in Gurdaspur district before being eliminated after an encounter in July.
