This Article is From Jan 04, 2016

As Pathankot Operation Continues, PM Modi Meets NSA, Officials: 10 Developments

As Pathankot Operation Continues, PM Modi Meets NSA, Officials: 10 Developments

It is suspected that another terrorist is still holed up inside the Pathankot air base.

Pathankot: Intermittent gunfire continued till late evening on Sunday - the second straight day of operations at the Pathankot air base. A fifth terrorist was neutralized yesterday, hunt is on for the other one. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Bengaluru to open a yoga conference, chaired a meeting with the National Security Adviser, foreign secretary and other officials on Pathankot.

Here are the 10 latest developments in this story:

  1. Admitting that two terrorists had been holed up at the Pathankot base since Saturday, Air Force authorities said they hoped to wrap up the operation by yesterday evening.

  2. "In the (Sunday) morning, we realised that two more terrorists were there. The operation at a mature state but the confirmation can be given only on recovering the bodies," said Air Marshal Anil Khosla.

  3. 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.

  4. Gunfire stopped in the evening at the air base -- from where Russian-made fleet of MiG-21 fighter jets and Mi-35 attack helicopters fly. But the operation is still continuing.

  5. The number of casualties has gone up to 7, with three more security personnel dying in hospital. This morning, an officer died in a blast from an Improvised Explosive Device during combing operations. Twenty security personnel have been injured.

  6. Among the weapons recovered were AK 47s, mortars, grenade launchers and Global Positioning System devices. The probe has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency.

  7. Opposition Congress has said India should reassess its position on Pakistan. Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah called the attack "the first major challenge to PM Modi's bold Pakistan gambit."

  8. The gun-battle started at 3.30 am on Saturday. The armed forces - which had secured the compound following intelligence warning - had detected the advent of terrorists with the help of aircraft using thermal imaging capability.

  9. The army wrested control of the base with the help of attack helicopters, mine-proof and bullet-proof personnel carriers. Four terrorists were killed on Saturday after the day-long gun-battle.

  10. Vital air force assets -- MiG-21 Bison fighters and Mi-35 attack helicopters - were safe following advance intelligence about the attack.



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