KEY POINTS
- Trump repeated his claim that Pakistan downed eight Indian planes.
- Trump also claims he played a key role in brokering the ceasefire between Pakistan and India.
- Analysts note that the repeated statements keep international attention on the incident.
ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump has once again repeated his claim regarding the May Pakistan-India armed clash, asserting that the Pakistan Air Force downed eight Indian aircraft and that he helped broker the ceasefire.
“In eight months, I ended eight wars, including Kosovo and Serbia, the Congo and Rwanda … Pakistan and India,” he said during a speech at the American Business Forum in Miami late on Wednesday.
“I was in the midst of a trade deal with both of them. And then I read on the front page of a certain newspaper — I won’t mention the newspaper because it’s usually fake news — but I heard they are going to war. Eight planes, seven planes were shot down — an eighth was really badly wounded [sic]. But eight planes were shot down essentially,” he said.
The original engagement in May reportedly involved aerial skirmishes along contested regions between Pakistan and India, during which multiple aircraft were, reportedly, shot down, according to defence sources cited by The Times of India and NDTV.
Trump’s latest statement, emphasising the number of aircraft downed and his alleged mediation, continues to attract international attention, particularly because Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not publicly confirmed the claims, Reuters noted.
Analysts caution that while Trump’s claims are difficult to independently verify, the repeated statements highlight the ongoing geopolitical sensitivity and regional security concerns surrounding the May military clash.
Al Jazeera reported that details of the ceasefire and aircraft losses remain limited and unverified by official sources.
