Roundup: 5th gunman killed as Indian security forces hunt for militants in airbase attack

Indian security forces continued on Sunday to engage with the remaining militants who stormed an airbase in the northern state of Punjab the previously day, killing one more gunman, said officials.

The renewed exchange of fire resulted in the killing of the militant at the Pathankot airbase, where fresh explosions and gunshots rang out again Sunday, said media reports.

However, officials failed to confirm the reports that at least two more gunmen were believed to be still holed up at the airbase after four others were killed on Saturday.

The casualties on the Indian side rose to seven on Sunday after an officer of the elite National Security Guards was killed when trying to defuse a bomb on the body of a killed attacker, and three more air force personnel succumbed to their injuries from the encounter a day earlier. Three air force personnel were killed in the attack on Saturday.

The airbase was attacked by a group of militants suspected to be operatives of the Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based group blamed for the December 2001 attack on the Indian parliament that killed 11 people.

Indian Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi said the attackers failed to destroy the airbase assets due to timely action by security forces.

"Because of early action, the terrorists were unable to move to their likely intended aim but were contained in an area of heavy growth of trees and shrubs and surrounded," he told the media.

All vital installations and government offices were informed about a likely terror attack, and efforts were mounted to track down the terrorists who had earlier killed a taxi driver, he said.

"Therefore, the main apparent aim of the terrorists stands defeated."

The attack came a week after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lahore and held talks with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif. Endit