Gunmen attack Indian air force base near Pakistan border

Suspected Islamist gunmen attacked an Indian air force base near the border with Pakistan early Saturday, security officials said, with at least two of the militants killed and fighting ongoing.

A top security official, who asked not to be named, told AFP that the gunmen were believed to be from the Jaish-e-Mohammed Islamist group, describing them as suicide attackers who breached security at the base in the northern state of Punjab while wearing army uniforms.

Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, director general of police in Punjab's Pathankot district, told AFP that the attack began around 3:30 am (2200 GMT Friday) and that there were four to five attackers.

"The gunfire is still going on," he told AFP.

"Two of the attackers are believed to be dead in the gunfight while the rest are holding out inside one of the buildings in the base," he said.

He added that there had been no damage to fighter planes at the base.

The unnamed security official, who was on the scene, also said that security forces had so far prevented the attackers from inflicting major damage.

"They are heavily armed and the attack is aimed to cause maximum damage to the equipment at the station but we have been successful so far," he said.

"We believe they are Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists."