KABUL: (MEP) At least six people have been killed in an attack on an Indian air force base close to the border with Pakistan, reports say.
A top security official, who asked not to be named, told AFP that the gunmen were believed to be from the Jaish-e-Mohammed Islamist group, describing them as suicide attackers who breached security at the base in the northern state of Punjab while wearing army uniforms.
The attack began around 3:30 am and that there were four to five attackers and the gunfire is still going on, Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, director general of police in Punjab’s Pathankot district said.
The incident comes days after the Indian and Pakistani leaders Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif met in Lahore to launch a surprise peace initiative.
The unnamed security official, who was on the scene, also said that security forces had so far prevented the attackers from inflicting major damage.
The Saturday attack also comes about six months after Indian security forces fought a prolonged gunfight with militants who attacked a moving bus and stormed into a police station in the town of Dinanagar in Punjab’s Gurdaspur district.
Indian police said at least four policemen and three civilians were killed in the deadly assault. The militants were also shot dead during the gun battle with security forces.
