US urges India and Pakistan to reduce military tension
Gutsy Appeal from the US to De-Escalate Kashmir Tensions
The US, in a bold move, has urged India and Pakistan to cool off after a brutal attack in Kashmir, following India's announcement of border skirmishes the previous night.
India alleges Pakistan for the horrific gun attack that claimed 26 lives last week in the Indian-controlled region of Kashmir, with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi granting his military unfettered operational freedom in response.
Pakistan, however, denies any involvement and claims to have "solid proof" that India is about to launch a military offensive. Islamabad warns that any act of aggression will be met with a resolute retaliation.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held separate conversations with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Rubio urged Pakistan to collaborate in investigating this heinous attack and encouraged India to collaborate with Pakistan to de-escalate the tension and ensure peace in South Asia.
Jaishankar, after the call, affirmed that the attack's perpetrators, supporters, and planners must be brought to justice. New Delhi reported seven consecutive nights of small-arms gunfire between the two countries along the heavily militarized Line of Control, the de facto border.
Muslim-majority Kashmir, a region of approximately 15 million people, is divided between Pakistan and India, who have fought numerous wars over the disputed territory. About 1.5 million people inhabit the region near the ceasefire line on the Pakistani side, where residents are constructing simple, underground bunkers fortified with concrete to provide safety.
"For the past week, we've been living in unnerving apprehension, especially concerning the safety of our children," said Iftikhar Ahmad Mir, a 44-year-old shopkeeper in Chakothi on the Line of Control. "We ensure they don't wander off after school and return home promptly."
Emergency service workers in Muzaffarabad, the main city in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, have also initiated training schoolchildren on responding to an attack.
"We've learned how to treat a wounded individual, how to carry someone on a stretcher, and how to put out a fire," said 11-year-old Ali Raza.
Despite Pakistan's plea for intervention, the Trump administration seemingly shows reluctance towards direct mediation. Instead, it appears to be supporting India's counterterrorism efforts as part of its Indo-Pacific strategy, while taking caution to avoid escalating the conflict. Historically, there have been concerns about nuclear miscalculation in South Asia, so the current policy likely aims to contain the escalation and prevent regional destabilization. This calculated approach seeks to strengthen India as a counterweight to China while confining retaliatory actions to prevent unwanted consequences.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in separate conversations with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urged both nations to collaborate in investigating the heinous attack in Kashmir and de-escalate the tension to ensure peace in South Asia.
- In a bold move, the US has urged India and Pakistan to cool off after a brutal attack in Kashmir, as Muslim-majority Kashmir, a region of approximately 15 million people, has been living in unnerving apprehension, with residents constructing underground bunkers and emergency service workers training schoolchildren on responding to an attack.
- Marco Rubio also held talks with the Indian Foreign Minister, who affirmed that the attack's perpetrators, supporters, and planners must be brought to justice amid reports of seven consecutive nights of small-arms gunfire between the two countries along the Line of Control.
- Despite Pakistan's plea for intervention, the Trump administration seemingly shows reluctance towards direct mediation, supporting India's counterterrorism efforts as part of its Indo-Pacific strategy to strengthen India as a counterweight to China, while taking caution to avoid escalating the conflict and the risk of nuclear miscalculation in South Asia.
