US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will call on his Indian and Pakistani counterparts not to escalate, his spokeswoman said Tuesday, as tensions are through the roof between the long-standing arch-rivals following a fatal attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.
“We are reaching out to both parties and telling, of course, them to not escalate the situation,” State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters.
Diplomatic Push by Marco Rubio
“The secretary expects to speak with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India as early as today or tomorrow,” she said.
“He is encouraging other national leaders, other foreign ministers, to also reach out to the countries on this issue,” she said.
The United States, which is a close ally of India, had first expressed support following the April 22 attack when gunmen gunned down 26 men in the tourist center of Pahalgam.
India Holds Pakistan Responsible
The brutal assault in Pahalgam, which targeted civilians most of them tourists visiting the scenic Kashmir region has sparked outrage across India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior security officials have vowed a strong response, raising fears of a military escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors. India has blamed the attack on foreign militants, with officials pointing to Pakistan-based groups, a claim Islamabad firmly denies.
Marco Rubio emphasizing on diplomacy follows comments by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the army would have “operational freedom” to counter the attack.
Global Concerns Over Escalation
India blames Pakistan for supporting the assault. Pakistan refuses the accusation but has long deplored Indian domination of partitioned, Muslim-ruled Kashmir.
The region of Kashmir has been a flashpoint for decades, with both India and Pakistan claiming it in full but controlling parts of it. This latest attack, one of the deadliest in recent years, threatens to undo recent diplomatic gains made between the two nations and reignites global concern over potential conflict.
