ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan on Wednesday announced the arrest of “several individuals” from an outlawed Islamic militant group who are believed to be linked to a four-day assault on an Indian air base earlier this month that killed seven Indian soldiers.
The government announced the arrests in a statement after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif presided over a meeting to discuss security issues. The meeting was also attended by Pakistan’s army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif, the country’s intelligence chief and other security officials.
The statement said an investigation into the incident has made “considerable progress,” leading to the arrest of several individuals from the Jaish-e-Mohammad militant group. All six militants who took part in the attack were killed by Indian forces.
India has long accused Pakistan of turning a blind eye to Islamic militants who have staged cross-border attacks and battled Indian forces in the disputed Kashmir region.
Pakistan was quick to condemn the air base attack, and Sharif spoke to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, expressing condolences and saying Pakistan would investigate any information that India provides.
But the attack raised concerns over peace talks planned for Friday between the two longtime regional rivals.
Indian defense officials said six heavily armed gunmen entered the Pathankot air base before dawn on Jan. 2. Indian troops exchanged gunfire with the men before finally killing all six Tuesday evening.
The United Jehad Council, an alliance of 13 Kashmir-based rebel groups, claimed that its “highway squad,” which normally attacks military convoys, carried out the attack. The council is believed to be based in Pakistan’s portion of Kashmir, the divided Himalayan region claimed in its entirety by both nuclear-armed powers.
Indian investigators have said that phone intercepts suggest that the gunmen came from Pakistan.
In his phone conversation with Sharif, Modi asked Islamabad “to take firm and immediate action” against those linked to the attackers. “Specific and actionable information in this regard has been provided to Pakistan,” a statement from his office said last week.
The attack was seen as an attempt to derail the Pakistan-India peace process and came just days after Modi paid a surprise Dec. 25 visit to Pakistan.
India accuses Pakistan of arming and training Kashmir insurgents in its portion of Kashmir. Pakistan says it only provides moral and diplomatic support.
The statement after Wednesday’s meeting reiterated that “in line with our decision to counter and completely eliminate terrorism, Pakistan would remain engaged with India on this issue.”
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Associated Press writer Muneeza Naqvi in New Delhi contributed to this report.
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