Key points
- Russia expresses deep concerns over deepening military confrontation in South Asia
- Moscow hopes tensions could be resolved through peaceful, diplomatic means
- Indian aggression martyrs 26 innocent civilians: Pakistan
- PAF downs five Indian jets including three Rafales: Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Russia’s foreign ministry has said that it was deeply concerned about the deepening military confrontation between India and Pakistan, and that it called for both sides to show restraint, Reuters reported.
AFP cited Russia’s foreign ministry as saying, it was “deeply concerned by the escalation of military confrontation”, called “on the parties to exercise restraint to prevent further deterioration” and said it hoped tensions could be “resolved through peaceful, diplomatic means.”
Trump calls Indian strikes “a shame”
Earlier today, US President Donald Trump expressed disappointment over the Indian strikes, calling it a “shame”, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hoped for engagement towards a peaceful resolution. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged both countries to exercise “maximum military restraint”.
Pakistan state-run news agency, cited Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Wednesday that at least 26 Pakistani civilians were martyred and 46 sustained injuries after Indian forces fired missiles at six different locations during the night between May 6 and 7.
Addressing a press conference, the DG ISPR said Indian troops also launched cowardly attacks across the Line of Control (LoC), deliberately targeting civilian populations and places of worships.
“The attacks took place under the cover of darkness and focused mainly on mosques and residential areas, showing the extremist mindset of the Modi-led government,” he said.
“Befitting reply”
He said that heavy Indian shelling along the LoC also claimed five more lives, including a five-year-old child. The Pakistan Armed Forces responded swiftly and effectively, giving a “befitting reply” to the Indian aggression.
“The targeted areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir had recently been visited by international media, which had already exposed the baseless Indian propaganda and claims. Striking these same sites seems like a desperate attempt to justify their false narrative through violence.”
Stating that the Pakistan Army responded fully to the Indian aggression and destroyed “several” Indian check posts and showed footage of a brigade headquarters from where he said India was violating the LoC ceasefire. Other check-posts hit included Chhatri, Jura and Sarlia-1, as well as a unit battalion headquarters.
The DG ISPR confirmed that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down five Indian fighter jets and one drone in response to the attempted airstrike. The downed aircraft included three Rafale jets, a MiG-29, a Su-30, and an Israeli-made Heron drone, according to APP.
The PAF, he said, could have shot down more than 10 aircraft but chose to show maturity and strategic restraint. “Not a single Pakistani aircraft crossed into Indian airspace, and none of the Indian jets were allowed to enter ours.”
