Two terrorists still inside Pathankot airbase: NSG

Security operations to secure the Pathankot Indian Air Force facility from two remaining terrorists are in the final stages and will conclude only after all assets are physically combed, the National Security Guard said on Monday.

As the operation against the terrorists entered the third day, NSG, IAF and Army officers said there was no collateral damage to the strategic Air Force assets.

“Till now, we have eliminated four terrorists and operation to eliminate two more terrorists, possibly is in the final stage of conduct,” Inspector General NSG Maj General Dushant Singh said.

Singh, who was flanked by Air officer commanding, Air commodore J S Damoon and Brigadier Anupinder Singh, said “the entire operation will continue till all the personnel, assets, structure are physically combed. So it is likely to take a long time.”

“These terrorists are holed up in a double storeyed building which is a living accommodation of the Air Force personnel and currently the operations are in progress to clear this building from the terrorists,” Brigadier Singh



said.

The area of the Air Force base is “very large” where strategic assets of IAF are kept, besides families of IAF personnel and schools are located in it. “It is a mini city,” the IAF officer said. He said that the terrorists have come “well prepared” and are “heavily armed” with an aim to target the strategic assets of the Air Force.

The officers said the Army was on general alert since January one following intelligence inputs of a terror strike.

Movement of heavily armed troops and the NSG personnel picked up at Punjab’s Pathankot airbase on Monday morning, indicating preparations for a final assault against the remaining terrorists holed up at the facility.

Soldiers armed with weapons such as rocket launchers and mortar guns besides other sophisticated weapons were seen entering the airbase in five army trucks around 9.30am, followed by NSG personnel in three vehicles.

Punjab’s additional director general of police (law and order) Hardeep Singh Dhillon has also reportedly moved in to the base as a part of the operations.