India launches combing operation near Pathankot base

India launches combing operation near Pathankot base


Afp January 07, 2016
Indian security personnel stand guard next to a barricade outside the Indian Air Force (IAF) base at Pathankot in Punjab, India, January 2, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS

NEW DELH:


The Indian army and police launched a search operation on Wednesday near Pathankot where a weekend attack on an air force base left seven soldiers dead, after villagers complained about two suspicious men in the area.


The search was focused in Gurdaspur district in the northern state of Punjab, close to Pakistan border and about 51 kilometres from Pathankot.

"The local villagers informed us about two suspicious men in army fatigues close to the army cantonment area," Gurpreet Singh Toor, senior superintendent of Gurdaspur police, told AFP.

"We have since launched a search operation along with the army in that area. We haven't yet come up with anything yet but the search is still on," he added.

Indian security agencies have been on a high alert since the attack by six gunmen with suspected links to the Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed.

All the attackers were killed in the two days of gunbattles.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 7th, 2016.

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