Following India’s airstrike inside Pakistan, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo separately spoke with the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan asked them to exercise restraint, and avoid escalation at any cost.
“Following Indian counter-terrorism actions on February 26, I spoke with Indian Minister of External Affairs Swaraj to emphasize our close security partnership and shared goal of maintaining peace and security in the region,” Pompeo said in a statement.
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In a pre-dawn, intelligence-led, pre-emptive, non-military strike on Tuesday, India attacked Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest training facility in Balakot, twelve days after a convoy of CRPF was attacked by a suicide car bomb car and 40 personnel lost their lives. JeM took responsibility for the attack.
“I also spoke to Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi to underscore the priority of de-escalating current tensions by avoiding military action, and the urgency of Pakistan taking meaningful action against terrorist groups operating on its soil.”
Pompeo said that he encouraged both ministers to prioritize direct communication and avoid further military activity.
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Indian foreign secretary did not reveal the details of the Balakot attack, but reports said that in the wee hours of Tuesday, a group of Mirage 2000 Indian fighter jets struck a major terrorist camp across the LoC and completely destroyed it, reported ANI quoting Indian Air Force sources. The strikes are said to have taken place in Balakot, which 40 km from Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Later Tuesday Pakistan soon said it will retaliate soon. Since then Pakistan violated ceasefire and resorted to heavy shelling at more than 10 places along the Line of Control (LoC), leaving five Indian Army personnel injured.
Ceasefire violation has also been reported in Uri sector of Baramulla, district. Gunfights broke out at Baramulla, Poonch.
The Indian Army retaliated in a befitting manner and destroyed five forward posts of Pakistan in Rajouri and Poonch districts.
Pakistani troops were seen firing mortars and missiles from civilian houses, using villagers as human shields. However, the Indian Army targeted Pakistani posts away from civilian localities, the Army said.