New Delhi: Refuting charges that there was lack of coordination among various security agencies during Pathankot operation, Indian Army Chief chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag today clearly said that actually there was no such issue.
"I can assure that there was no issue of coordination between the forces at Pathankot," General Suhag said, addressing the media.
He also laboured the point that the three days taken by Indian forces to kill all terrorists and sanitise the base was not unusual.
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"There were two soldiers in the building where two terrorists were holed up. We had to first pull them out and then launch the offensive for the terrorists. It was not an easy operation and we took our time to reduce or minimise the casualties," General Suhag said.
He also said that the three days taken by Indian forces to kill all terrorists and sanitise the base was not unusual.
"The time taken to complete the operations should be left to the commander on the ground," he added.
The government has also confronted criticism that a series of security lapses allowed the terrorists to enter the heavily-fortified base from where India's Russian-made fleet of MiG-21 fighter jets and Mi-35 attack helicopters fly.
Questions were also raised on why commandos of the elite National Security Guard or NSG were summoned to lead the ops and not the army.
The army chief said: "How the terrorists got in despite the intelligence is being looked at by the NIA (National Investigation Agency). It is of concern and will one of key lessons learnt.”
