Pathankot air base siege enters into Day 4

New Delhi/Srinagar: A fifth suspected Jaish-e-Mohammad militant was neutralised by the security forces at the Pathankot airbase on Monday as combing operations to secure the IAF base entered its third day.

Top government sources said the neutralised terrorist was one of two who were hiding in a two-storey building that was living quarters for personnel. The National Security Guard, Indian Air Force and Army officers said there was no collateral damage to strategic Air Force assets.

The confusion over the number of terrorists involved in the Pathankot attack continued Monday evening. There is still no clarity on the exact number of terrorists involved in the attack, and whether the terrorist killed on Monday was the fifth or sixth one to be neutralised since Saturday, when the attack began. “Till now, we have eliminated five terrorists and an operation to eliminate one more terrorist, possibly, is in the final stage of conduct,” NSG inspector-general Maj. Gen. Dushant Singh told reporters Monday in Pathankot.

Maj. Gen. Singh said: “The entire operation will continue till all personnel, assets, structure are physically combed.”

The BSF has also submitted a report to the Centre on the possible route taken by the attackers, claiming there was no breach in the fence.

There were some gaping holes along the International Border with Pakistan and malfunctioning of the electronic surveillance equipment.

BSF officials also visited Bamiyal, a village located near Pathankot, and took stock of the unfenced and riverine areas along the border with Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Pakistan said it is working on the leads provided by India on the terror attack on the IAF base in Pathankot.

Noting that the terror attack that left seven security personnel dead has been categorically condemned by Pakistan, the spoke-sperson said, “In line with Pakistan’s commitment to effectively counter and eradicate terrorism, the Gover-nment is in touch with the Indian government and is working on the leads provided by it.”

Speaking to reporters after a security review meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NSA Ajit Doval and top officials, finance minister Arun Jaitley said that the bodies of four terrorists had been recovered and those of the other two will also be recovered. The number of intruders had been put at six by officials in the past two days and the figures given by Mr Jaitley implied that all of them had been eliminated.

However, no one in the government was prepared to say that no more terrorists were inside the base or that the operation was over.