Armed Attack on Indian Air Force Base at Pakistan Border

Indian security officials have reported that armed assailants attacked an Indian Air Force base in Punjab, near the Pakistan border, in the early hours of Saturday, January 2. At least two of the attackers were killed in the assault. An unnamed senior Indian security official told AFP that the attackers were likely members of the 'Jaish-e-Mohammed' group and were dressed in Indian military uniforms. Kunar Partap Singh, the police chief of Pathankot in Punjab, stated that the attackers numbered four or five and launched their assault at 3:30 AM local time. He added that two of the attackers were killed in the ensuing confrontation, while the others were cornered in a building at the airbase. Another security official mentioned that security forces managed to confront the attackers and prevent them from causing extensive damage or harming fighter jets at the base. Following the attack, a state of emergency has been declared in Punjab. In this context, Dharmendra Mohanty, a spokesperson for the Indian Ministry of Defense, told CNN that the two attackers killed in the assault have been identified, although he did not provide further details about their identities. The spokesperson also noted that four Indian security personnel were injured in the clash. According to AFP, India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the Kashmir region since Pakistan's independence. India has repeatedly accused Pakistan of arming Muslim insurgents in the Kashmir region.