India-Pakistan tensions soar after deadly Kashmir clashes
At least 36 people have been killed and 94 injured due to hostilities between India and Pakistan, as reported on Wednesday by Indian police and the Pakistani armed forces. Global appeals are urging both nations to take steps to stabilize the situation.
What do you need to know?
- The conflict in the Kashmir region is escalating. On April 22, in Pahalgam, a picturesque tourist resort, an attack resulted in at least 26 deaths. The Resistance Front (TRF) organization claimed responsibility for the attack.
- Response after the attack: The incident has intensified tensions between India and Pakistan.
- Escalating tension: India attacked Pakistan, fueling concerns that the conflict may widen. There are calls for both sides to exercise restraint and calm the situation.
What happened between Pakistan and India?
India launched attacks on targets in Pakistan and the Pakistani-controlled part of the disputed Kashmir region overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, Eastern Time. Across the border, 36 people lost their lives and 94 were injured.
According to Pakistani army spokesman Gen. Ahmed Chaudhry, 26 civilians were killed, and 46 people were injured due to attacks by the Indian army on several locations in Pakistan and during exchanges of fire in the Pakistani part of Kashmir.
Meanwhile, Indian police reported at least 10 deaths and 48 injuries in India. Indian services indicated that artillery fire struck areas including the village of Poonch in Indian Kashmir, with explosions heard near Srinagar, the largest city in Indian Kashmir.
Pakistani military spokesman Gen. Ahmed Sharif stated that Pakistan shot down five enemy aircraft in Indian airspace following attacks on Pakistani territory.
What are the most tragic consequences of the Indian attack?
Chaudhry described the losses from the Indian attack on a mosque in Bahawalpur, located in Pakistan's Punjab, as dramatic. Thirteen people, including two three-year-old girls, were killed.
The Indian attacks also targeted Pakistani dams, damaging one located in Kashmir.
What is the reaction in Pakistan?
The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned India's embassy chargé d'affaires to express strong protest against the Indian "unprovoked" attacks. The Indian diplomat was informed that this "blatant act of aggression" is a serious violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and warned that such "dangerous" behavior threatens regional peace and stability.
How did the world react?
The spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that the world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan. Guterres himself expressed concern over Indian military operations along the Line of Control and the international border, urging both countries to exercise "maximum restraint."
Governments of China, Japan, the USA, France, and Russia have called on both sides to remain calm. The UK government has expressed readiness to take action to de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, with British Trade Minister Jonathan Reynolds offering assistance.
Wednesday's attacks mark the first military actions by India on Pakistani territory since 2019. At that time, India accused Pakistan of a suicide bombing attack on Indian paramilitary officers. India had not engaged in such actions against its neighbor since the war of 1971.
