Pathankot airbase had 6 terrorists; was in full command: NSG

New Delhi: NSG on Thursday said there were two heavily armed terrorists hiding inside the Pathankot IAF base, apart from the four killed, even as it refuted reports about confusion in command, saying it takes "complete control" of the situation when deployed for counter-terror operations anywhere in the country.

"According to us, there were four plus two (terrorists). But, it is for the investigating agency...it is for the NIA to investigate and come up with factual details," NSG Director General R C Tayal told reporters on the sidelines of an international seminar on the menace of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) being held here.

Stating that terrorists "came over" from Pakistan, the National Security Guard chief asserted that his strike teams had been fired upon from inside an airmen barrack which they were about to enter.

The January 2 attack on the forward air force base, which houses fighter jet planes and attack helicopters, had left seven security personnel dead.

Security forces had recovered four bodies of terrorists and there has been speculation since about the possibility of some others getting killed and 'melting up' in a building which was blown up by NSG using heavy explosives.

Tayal said he had "basis" for this assertion.

"NSG teams reached the airmen barrack. The commandos knocked but the door was closed from inside. We put some wall radar and got indication that someone is inside. A grenade was lobbed from inside in which five commandos got injuries and one got serious injuries.

"According to us, weapons were with them (two terrorists) as we were getting firing from inside. Besides weapons, they were carrying large quantity of explosives too," he said when asked about the forces' logic to arrive at a definite number of two more terrorists being holed up.