Kashmir conflict heats up as India, Pakistan claim to down each other's jets.
ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI - India and Pakistan both said they shot down each other's fighter jets on Wednesday, with Pakistan capturing an Indian pilot a day after Indian warplanes struck inside Pakistan for the first time since a 1971 war, prompting world powers to urge restraint.
The White House condemned the intensifying conflict and urged"both sides to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation." "We would certainly like to have more, and would certainly like to see more active involvement of the United States," he told reporters. The Pakistan government's official Twitter account released a video of a man it claimed was an Indian pilot who had been shot down.
The latest escalation marks a sudden turnaround in relations between the two countries, both of which claim Kashmir in full, but only rule in part.The conflict also comes at a critical time for Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi, who faces a general election in a matter of months. "I expressed to both ministers that we encourage India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, and avoid escalation at any cost," Pompeo said in a statement on Wednesday.
Ghafoor said the Pakistani aircraft had carried out the strikes in response to India's air strike the day before but had taken deliberate action to ensure no casualties were caused. Raveesh Kumar, a spokesman for India's foreign ministry, gave a different account, telling a news briefing that the Pakistan air strikes on military targets had been"foiled."
The Indian air force has ordered Kashmir's main airport in Srinagar along with at least three others in neighbouring states to close, an official said.Flights from the Middle East and India were also affected. Air Canada said on Wednesday it has temporarily suspended service to India, following a decision by the Pakistani government to close its airspace.
Five Indian soldiers suffered minor wounds in the shelling that ended on Wednesday morning, he added.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
World powers call for calm as India and Pakistan trade fire in KashmirThe United States, China and other world powers have urged restraint from the two nations as tensions escalate following tit-for-tat airstrikes in the wake of a suicide car bombing that killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Feb. 14. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran
Read more »
Wisdom needed in India and Pakistan as Kashmir turns into flashpointBoth countries should weigh the costs of escalating conflict in the aftermath of a terrorist attack in Kashmir, says ST associate editor Ravi Velloor.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
Why do India and Pakistan keep fighting over Kashmir?NEW YORK (NYTIMES) - Two nuclear-armed siblings with a long history of armed conflict. Two prime ministers facing public pressure for military action. And a snowy, mountainous region that both nations have coveted - and occupied with troops - for more than 70 years.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
World powers call for calm as India and Pakistan trade fire in KashmirNEW DELHI: Indian and Pakistani troops traded fire briefly along the contested border in Kashmir on Thursday (Feb 28) morning, a day after the two ...
Read more »
Pakistan PM Imran Khan warns of Kashmir escalation, offers talks with IndiaISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday (Feb 27) called for talks with India and said he hopes “better sense”. Mr Khan was ...
Read more »
India vs Pakistan: A history of conflict over KashmirNEW DELHI: India and Pakistan have fought two wars and had countless skirmishes over Kashmir, the Himalayan region claimed in full by both ...
Read more »
Commercial flights to and from Pakistan, India disrupted as tensions riseNEW DELHI: Several airlines, including Emirates and Qatar Airways, suspended flights to Pakistan on Wednesday (Feb 27) after the South Asian ...
Read more »
Futures dip as Trump-Kim summit starts, India-Pakistan tensions flareU.S. stock index futures edged lower on Wednesday, mirroring global markets, as the second U.S.-North Korean nuclear summit kicked off and fresh ...
Read more »