Trump tells India and Pakistan to ‘stop’ clashes

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump called Wednesday for India and Pakistan to halt their fighting, the worst violence between the nuclear-armed countries in two decades.

“I want to see them stop,” Trump said at the White House, adding: “We get along with both countries very well, good relationships with both, and I want to see it stop. And if I can do anything to help, I will be there.”

Similarly, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Turkiye supported de-escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan and was ready to play its role as a committed friend of Pakistan.

According to the Prime Minister Office (PMO), President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif via telephone on Wednesday.

During the conversation, Erdogan said that the Turkish nation was praying for the success of Pakistan’s diplomatic initiatives.

Separately, India and Pakistan exchanged heavy artillery fire along their contested frontier Wednesday after New Delhi launched deadly missile strikes on its arch-rival, in the worst violence between the nuclear-armed neighbours in two decades.

At least 43 deaths were reported, with Islamabad saying 31 civilians were killed by the Indian strikes and firing along the border, and New Delhi adding at least 12 dead from Pakistani shelling.

The fighting came two weeks after New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing an attack on the Indian-run side of disputed Kashmir, which Pakistan denied.

The South Asian neighbours have fought multiple wars over the divided territory since they were carved out of the sub-continent after gaining independence from British rule in 1947.

The Indian army said “justice is served”, reporting nine “terrorist camps” had been destroyed, with New Delhi adding that its actions “have been focused, measured and non-escalatory”.

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of launching the strikes to “shore up” his domestic popularity, adding that Islamabad “won’t take long to settle the score”.

Pakistan military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said five Indian jets had been downed across the border overnight.

An Indian senior security source, who asked not to be named, said three of its fighter jets had crashed on home territory.

Dozens killed as India, Pakistan clash in worst violence in decades