File photo of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visiting the United Nations AFPThe call came amid soaring tensions between the two nuclear-armed countriesUS Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday called on India and Pakistan to "exercise restraint" amid soaring tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries, while urging Islamabad to take action against militants. "We encourage India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, and avoid escalation at any cost," Pompeo said in a statement after speaking with his counterparts from both countries. India said Tuesday that it launched strikes against militant camps in Pakistan -- New Delhi's first use of air strikes on its neighbor's territory since the two countries went to war in 1971. Pakistan, while confirming the incursion, denied India's claim that the attack had inflicted major damage and casualties on militants. The Tuesday air raid came after India threatened retaliation over the February 14 suicide bombing, claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) group, that killed 40 Indian troops in the Kashmir region.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 27, 2019 03:56 UTC