Further escalation in the Kashmir conflict

The two nuclear-armed powers, India and Pakistan, have once again attacked each other militarily. The decades-old conflict over the Himalayan region of Kashmir threatens to escalate further. The United States and China have called on both sides to exercise restraint. Saudi Arabia has also intervened. A call for restraint also came from the G7 states .

India's military launched attacks on several Pakistani military installations early Saturday morning, justifying the attack in response to several attacks from its neighboring country. Precision weapons were fired from Indian fighter jets in the targeted attacks, an Indian army spokeswoman in New Delhi said. The targets in Pakistan included command and control centers, radar installations, and weapons depots.

According to Pakistani sources, India fired missiles at three air bases. "India fired air-to-ground missiles with its aircraft. The Nur Khan, Mureed, and Shorkot bases were targeted," a Pakistani military spokesperson said. However, air defenses intercepted most of the missiles. One of the air bases is located in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad, and the other two are in the eastern province of Punjab, which borders India.

As a result, the country's own military launched "Operation Bunjan" against India. According to Pakistani state media, several military targets were hit and destroyed.

The Indian military said it had repelled several Pakistani drone attacks along the border in western India. "Pakistan's blatant attempt to violate India's sovereignty and endanger civilians is unacceptable. The Indian army will thwart the enemy's plans," the military said.

A military spokeswoman said the Pakistani army had been observed moving its troops into forward areas, indicating an offensive intent to further escalate the situation. "The Indian armed forces remain at a high level of readiness," she added. "They reaffirm their commitment to non-escalation, subject to reciprocation by the Pakistani military."

An attack has also been reported from the Kashmir region. In the Pakistani-administered part, the civil protection agency reported that at least 13 civilians were killed. The figures from both countries cannot be independently verified.

USA insists on direct communication

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with both his Indian and Pakistani counterparts, according to his department. Rubio insisted that Pakistan and India must find ways to de-escalate the situation, the US State Department in Washington said.

Direct communication must be restored to avoid miscalculations. The United States is ready to support productive talks between both sides to prevent future disputes.

According to Pakistan, it is up to India to de-escalate the conflict. The ball is in India's court, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on television. He also told Rubio this during the conversation. If India stops, Pakistan will consider stopping as well, Dar said.

China ready to play a constructive role

Neighboring China expressed "deep concern" about the escalation between India and Pakistan and offered its assistance in resolving the conflict. "China is closely monitoring the current situation between India and Pakistan," the Foreign Ministry in Beijing stated. China called on both countries to prioritize peace and stability, maintain calm and restraint, and return to the path of resolving problems through peaceful political means.

At the same time, the People's Republic warned against measures that could further escalate tensions. China remains willing to play a constructive role in this matter, the ministry added. The People's Republic shares a border with both Pakistan and India. At the same time, China is a direct neighbor of the Kashmir region.

Hindu-majority India and predominantly Muslim Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir since gaining independence from Great Britain in 1947. Both countries claim the entire Himalayan region for themselves, but each controls only part of it.

On Wednesday morning, the Kashmir conflict escalated militarily: India bombed several targets in Pakistan, and Islamabad responded with artillery fire. Since then, at least 50 people have been killed. The escalating situation has sparked international concern. Germany and the EU Commission also called on both sides to de-escalate the situation. The foreign ministers of the G7 countries, the seven major Western democracies, called on the conflicting parties to exercise "maximum restraint."

The renewed conflict was triggered by an attack on Indian tourists in the Indian part of Kashmir on April 22, in which 26 people were shot dead. India accuses Pakistan of supporting the attack, but the Pakistani government denies the allegations. This is the most serious confrontation between the two neighboring countries in decades.

AR/pg (rtr, afp, dpa)