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WORLD NEWSWednesday 6 January 2016
Indian officials say all 6 militants killed in air base siege
CHANNI ANAND almost four days, insisting Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar addresses the media assault rifles with make-
TIM SULLIVAN that security forces had at the Indian air force base in Pathankot, India, Tuesday, Jan.5, shift rocket launchers at-
Associated Press done “a commendable 2016.Indian air force chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha is on tached, mortar rounds
PATHANKOT, India (AP) — job.” Seven Indian soldiers left. Indian forces have killed the last of the six militants who that could be fired from
Indian forces have killed were killed during the at- attacked the air force base near the Pakistan border over the the launchers, pistols, and
the last of the six militants tack. weekend, the defense minister said Tuesday, though soldiers 50-60 kilograms (110-130
who attacked an air force “I see some gaps (in intel- were still searching the base as a precaution. pounds) of ammunition.
base near the Pakistan bor- ligence) but we will be In the first known claim of
der over the weekend, the able to understand only (AP Photo/Channi Anand) responsibility, the United
defense minister said Tues- after the investigation. But Jehad Council, an alliance
day, though soldiers were I don’t think we compro- of 13 Kashmir-based rebel
still searching the base as a mised on security,” groups, claimed that its
precaution. he told reporters after tour- “highway squad,” which
Manohar Parrikar stopped ing the scene of the fight- normally attacks military
short of saying the opera- ing. He noted that the base convoys, carried out the
tion had ended, but Indian is large, and is wooded in attack.
officials have said repeat- some places, making it dif- Alliance spokesman Syed
edly that only six gunmen ficult to pin down the gun- Sadaqat Hussain said in a
were involved. men. statement to Current News
Parrikar did not explain Indian officials had been Service, which is based in
how just a handful of gun- warned beforehand that the Indian portion of Kash-
men managed to paralyze an attack could be im- mir, that the attack was
a large Indian air base for minent at the Pathankot a message to India that
its security forces were
base, and had flown com- his vehicle. The policeman not beyond the militants’
mandoes there in case was freed the next day, reach.
of trouble. The warning and warned security forc- The council is based in Pak-
came after the gunmen es that a team of heavily istan’s portion of Kashmir,
kidnapped an off-duty armed militants was in the the Himalayan region di-
policeman near the base region. vided between the coun-
two days before the attack Parrikar said the militants’ tries but claimed in its en-
began, apparently to steal weapons included AK-47 tirety by both. q
At Press Time:
1 US troop killed, 2 wounded in Afghanistan
ROBERT BURNS countered with U.S. special spokesman for U.S. forces
Associated Press operations forces working in Afghanistan. Speaking
WASHINGTON (AP) — One with Afghan troops. for Gen. John Campbell,
U.S. troop was killed and Details on the battle were the top U.S. commander in
two wounded in fighting sketchy. Afghanistan, Shoffner said,
Tuesday in southern Af- In a brief written statement “our heartfelt sympathies
ghanistan, the U.S. military announcing the three U.S. go out to the families and
command in Kabul said. casualties, the U.S. military friends of those involved.”
The fighting, which reflects command in Kabul said A U.S. helicopter was sent
intensified efforts by the one died of wounds sus- to evacuate the casualties
U.S. and its Afghan part- tained “during operations” but did not immediately
ners to push back against in Marja, and that two were take off because of an un-
recent Taliban gains, was wounded. The statement specified problem.
near the city of Marja, did not identify their service In Kabul, a spokesman
Helmand province, which branch. Two U.S. officials for the U.S.-led coalition,
shares a border with Paki- said they were special op- Navy Lt. Cmdr. Ron Flesvig,
stan. The Taliban in recent eration troops. said the helicopter sent to
weeks have focused their “We are deeply saddened evacuate the casualties
efforts on retaking parts of by this loss,” said Brig. had landed with a me-
Helmand, and the U.S. has Gen. Wilson A. Shoffner, a chanical problem.q
