Initial Bengali resistance to Pakistani Military action was spontaneous and disorganized. Bengali soldiers were largely unaware of the larger situation; many units continued to performed routine duties until March 31, rebelling only after coming under Pakistani attack. Group Captain A. K. Khandker, OC Admin Wing of PAF East Pakistan, had witnessed the departure of Yahia Khan from East Pakistan prior to start of Pakistani attack on March 25 and warned Awami League members, and he had earlier also warned Sheikh Mujibur Rahman regarding Pakistani troop movements. However, no countrywide communication reached Bengali soldiers to begin the uprising; they rebelled when they came under attacked or heard news of the Pakistani attacks on Bengalis. Air Commodore Mitty Masud had opposed Operation Searchlight on moral grounds in a meeting of Pakistani Senior officers on March 15 and then had refused requests from the Army to commence airstrikes on March 29. He also assured Bengali PAF staff of their personal safety on March 27 and on March 30 gave them the option of declining missions or going on leave, but also warned them against committing treason, and Bengali airmen and staff were laid off duty. Air Commodore Masud was relieved of his post on March 31, and was replaced by Air Commodore Inam -ul Haq. Several hundred Bengali officers and soldiers, airmen and Naval personnel were sent to West Pakistan between March and November 1971, while Pakistan Army imprisoned 21 army and 4 air force officers and several hundred soldiers in East Pakistan. However, while 46 Bengali Army officers were murdered by the Army between March–November 1971, no Air Force officers were victims of such a fate during that time.