3 killed in attack on India air base; all 5 attackers dead, official says

Five suspected militants attacked an Indian air base near the border with Pakistan on Saturday, leaving two security force members and a civilian dead before they were killed, according to government officials.

Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh announced on Twitter that all five militants were dead.

Two members of the Indian Security Forces and one civilian also died in the attack in India's northwestern state of Punjab, according to an Indian government official.

The attack sparked what CNN's partner in India, CNN-IBN, described as a 15-hour gunfight at the base, which the network said houses fighter jets and attack helicopters.

But officials said they had received intelligence about a possible attack and had beefed up security at the air field and repulsed the attackers before they reached any sensitive areas.

The Indian government official earlier said security forces had killed four of the attackers, adding that one was believed holed up in the facility.

"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," the Indian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

News Courtesy: www.cnn.com