Terrorists displayed professional Army-like tactics while attacking Pathankot air force base, say sources

New Delhi: Even though the security agencies are claiming that all the six terrorists involved in the Pathankot attack have been neutralised, the combing operations have not yet been officially called off. The security agencies have claimed that the terrorists displayed 'professional army-like tactics' while attacking the Pathankot air base strike.

Sources also say that the level of training of the Pathankot terrorists seems to be even better than that of the Mumbai 26/11 attackers. Huge quantity of explosives, rifles and rocket launchers has been found from the site of the attack.

The terrorists used all the tactics of professional fighters like conserving firepower, attacking at 3 AM when the level of alertness is at its lowest and going quiet to give the impression that all the attackers had died, and also to fire at a crowded mess-like area where mostly people are unarmed, show the military precision that was involved.

Reports suggest that the terrorists might have entered the campus before an alert was sounded while crucial hours were lost in verifying Punjab Police SP Salwinder Singh's claims about his abduction by terrorists. Immediately after the alarm was sounded, security at all vital installations, including the Pathankot air base in Punjab, was enhanced to the highest level to make it difficult for the terrorists to mount an attack.

Reports also say that police officers whom the SP had informed about the terrorists initially did not may heed to his statements, leading to the operation being delayed by nearly 15 hours.

Security agencies are suspecting there were six terrorists and they were divided into two groups - one of 4 and the other with 2 members. The four in the first group were killed on Saturday while the two members of the second group were fighting till Monday.

In a joint press conferences, senior security officials said that terrorists were holed up in a double storey from where they were firing. The building was blasted off by the security forces on Monday. The forces claimed that the operation is in its final stage and is heading towards completion.