Mike Pompeo 'hopeful' India-Pakistan tension would come down
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had "good conversations" with Indian and Pakistani leaders and was hopeful that the rising tension will come down between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Over the last two days, Pompeo spoke to the leaders of the two countries including External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, National Security Advisor Ajit K Doval and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
We continue to be very engaged with the issue: Pompeo
"We were and continue to be very engaged with the issue between India and Pakistan," Pompeo told reporters travelling with him from Vietnam-Manila. "I spent a good deal of time on the phone last night talking to leaders in both countries, making sure there was good information exchanged, encouraging each country to not take any action that would create increased risk," he said.
Tensions escalated between India and Pakistan after Pulwama attack
"I had good conversations, and I am hopeful that we can take down the tension there so they can begin to have conversations that don't portend risk of escalation to either of the two countries. So we're working hard on that," Pompeo said. Tensions have escalated between India and Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF soldiers on February 14.
Following the attack, India bombed JeM training camps in Pakistan
Following the attack claimed by the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), India carried out air strikes against the biggest training camp of JeM in Balakot. In the operation, a "very large number" of JeM terrorists, trainers, senior commanders and groups of jihadis were eliminated. Pakistan on Wednesday claimed it shot down two Indian fighter jets over Pakistani air space and arrested an IAF pilot.
