The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has expressed deep concerns after India launched missile attacks on Pakistan in the early hours of Wednesday.
Guterres, in a note to UN correspondents issued by his spokesperson in New York, called for military restraint from both countries.
There had been escalating tensions between India and Pakistan had overApril 22 terror attack in the Pahalgam area of Jammu and Kashmir, which killed no fewer than 26 civilians and injured many more.
India said its armed forces struck nine sites that targeted “terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir”.
India’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that its “precision” strikes on “terrorist camps” were following up on its “commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable.”
Hours after India’s cross-border missile struck sites in Pakistan, Islamabad vowed retaliation for the attacks, which it said killed eight people and wounded dozens.
Pakistan’s information minister claimed on X that the country had “befittingly retaliated” for India’s airstrikes, shooting down Indian jets and drone.
Islamabad called the assault a “blatant act of war” and said it had informed the UN Security Council that Pakistan reserved the right to respond appropriately to Indian aggression.
However, the UN chief said India’s military operations crossed the Line of Control and the international border with Pakistan, urging restraints.
“The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,” the note said.
On Monday, the Secretary-General had warned that the tensions between the two South Asian neighbours had reached “their highest in years.”
He offered his good offices to both governments to help defuse tensions and promote diplomacy, stressing that “a military solution is no solution.”
Speaking to the media on Monday, Guterres condemned the April 22 terror attack in the Pahalgam area of Jammu and Kashmir, which left at least 26 civilians dead and many more injured.
“Targeting civilians is unacceptable, and those responsible must be brought to justice through credible and lawful means,” Guterres said.
