United States of America has reacted to the rising conflict between India and Pakistan.
The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, spoke with his counterparts from India and Pakistan, encouraging both sides to engage in discussions to settle an escalating military confrontation.
According to the White House late on Tuesday, “He is encouraging India and Pakistan to re-open a channel between their leadership to defuse the situation and prevent further escalation.”
The US national security council spokesperson, Brian Hughes, made this known in a statement.
Meanwhile, a South-Asia analyst, Michael Kugelman has told the Associated Press that “these are some of the most high-intensity Indian strikes in Pakistan in years, and Pakistan’s response will surely pack a punch as well.
“These are two strong militaries that are not afraid to deploy sizeable levels of conventional military force against each other. The escalation risks are real. And they could well increase, and quickly.”
At least eight people, including a child, have been killed and 35 injured after India launched attacks on what it claimed were nine sites of “terrorist infrastructure” inside Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir, in a sharp escalation of hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
In response, Pakistani military spokesperson, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said at least two Indian air force jets had been shot down, calling India’s strikes a “heinous provocation”.
