Pathankot: Militants killed, attack ends

Confirming the end of the operation, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted: "I congratulate our armed forces and other security forces on successfully neutralising all the five terrorists in 'Pathankot Operation'."

"The nation is proud of its brave security forces who have always rose to the occasion. I salute our forces on successful operation in P'kot, Singh said.

Singh also mourned the death of security forces in the attack.

"We have also lost security personnel in Pathankot attack. My heartfelt condolences to their families.We can never forget their sacrifice," the Home Minister said.

Meanwhile, calling the militants as 'enemies of humanity', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said security forces neutralized them and did not let them succeed.

Calling the militants, who have attacked Pathankot air force of India in Punjab on Saturday as 'enemies of humanity', Prime Minister Narendra Modi said security forces neutralized them and did not let them succeed.

"Enemies of humanity who can't see India progress, such elements attacked in Pathankot but our security forces did not let them succeed" Modi said.

Praising jawans, Modi said: "Proud of our Jawans and security forces."

Days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Pakistan to revive ties between the two nuclear armed nations, in a brazen attempt, suspected Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists launched an assault on the Pathankot air force of India in Punjab on Saturday wee hours, triggering a face-off in which five militants and three soldiers were killed, officials said.

The gunmen were in army fatigues and could infiltrate the Pathankot air base before dawn and resorted to firing indiscriminately.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar held a high level meeting following the attack, which killed three IAF men. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said a befitting reply would be given.

According to an Indian  Air Force (IAF) release, intelligence inputs had been available of a likely attempt by terrorists to infiltrate into the military installation in Pathankot area.  In response, preparatory actions had been taken by the Indian Air Force (IAF) to thwart any such attempt, it said.

Due to the effective preparation and coordinated efforts by all the security agencies a group of  terrorists were detected by the aerial surveillance platforms as soon as they entered the Air Force Station at Pathankot, it said.

The infiltrators were immediately engaged and contained within a limited area, thus preventing them from entering the Technical zone where high value assets are parked, it said.

Through timely and prompt action by all agencies, the likely plan of the terrorists to destroy valuable assets of the Air Force has been foiled. Currently the operation is going on.

The Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Air Command is on location and personally  supervising  and coordinating  with the Army, NSG and local civil police for exchange of information and operational activity.

Defence sources have been quoted as saying that the surviving terrorists may be now out of the air base.

An army helicopter conducted sorties to trace the surviving terrorists, said to be belonging to the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). The attackers were reportedly from Bhawalpur in Pakistan and were ordered to blow up the helicopters stationed at the base.