US Vice President JD Vance has called on India and Pakistan to ease tensions, while stating that the United States will “not get involved in the middle of a war that’s fundamentally none of our business”.
Hostilities have risen between the two nations since India targeted several locations in Pakistan on Wednesday, which it claimed were “terrorist camps”, in response to a deadly attack on Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir last month.
Pakistan rejected claims of involvement in the attack, but both countries have since engaged in cross-border fire and shelling, deploying drones and missiles into each other’s airspace. Approximately four dozen people have lost their lives due to the ensuing violence.
“We want this thing to de-escalate as quickly as possible. We can’t control these countries, though,” Mr. Vance stated in an interview on Fox News’ ‘The Story with Martha MacCallum’.
Amnesty emphasized that the conflicting sides “must take all necessary measures to protect civilians and minimize any suffering and casualties”.
This escalation follows accusations from both India and Pakistan of launching new military strikes, employing drones and artillery for the third consecutive day, marking the most severe conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors in nearly thirty years.
Residents in border areas of both nations have fled, with many cities experiencing power outages, air raid alerts, and panic buying of essential items.
India has suspended its prestigious Indian Premier League T20 cricket tournament after a match was abruptly halted yesterday, with floodlights turned off.
The ongoing hostilities are the deadliest concerning the two countries since the limited conflict in Kashmir’s Kargil region in 1999. India has targeted cities in Pakistan’s mainland provinces for the first time since their full-scale war in 1971.
The Indian army reported that Pakistani troops committed “numerous ceasefire violations” along the de-facto border in Kashmir, a territory divided between the two but claimed in full by both nations.
A man inspects damage after cross-border shelling between India and Pakistan.
“The drone attacks were effectively repulsed, and a fitting response was given to the CFVs (ceasefire violations),” the army stated, adding that all “nefarious designs” would be met with “force”.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar labeled the Indian army’s statement as “baseless and misleading”, asserting that Pakistan had not conducted any “offensive actions” against Indian Kashmir or beyond its borders.
In Pakistani Kashmir, officials reported that heavy shelling from across the border resulted in the deaths of five civilians, including an infant, and injuries to 29 in the early hours of today.
India’s defense ministry has not yet responded to requests for comment.
The relationship between Hindu-majority India and Islamic Pakistan has been fraught with tension since their separation following independence from British colonial rule in 1947.
Kashmir, a Muslim-majority region, has been a focal point of hostility, leading to two of the three wars fought between the countries.
Sirens in Amritsar
A “major infiltration attempt” was “foiled” in Kashmir’s Samba region last night, reported India’s Border Security Force. Heavy artillery shelling continued in the Uri area today, according to a security official who preferred to remain anonymous.
“Several houses caught fire and were damaged during shelling in the Uri sector… one woman was killed and three others injured due to overnight shelling,” the official indicated.
Sirens sounded for over two hours on Friday in the border city of Amritsar, home to the revered Golden Temple, and residents were instructed to stay indoors.
Hotels reported a significant drop in occupancy, as tourists evacuated the city by road due to the closure of the airport.
“We really wanted to stay, but the loud sounds, sirens, and blackouts have deprived us of sleep. Our families back home are worried, so we’ve booked a cab and are leaving,” shared a British national who preferred anonymity.
Other border regions, including Bhuj in Gujarat, implemented precautionary measures, and authorities stated tourist buses were on standby to evacuate residents near the Pakistan border.
Schools and coaching centers were closed in the Bikaner region of India’s desert state of Rajasthan, with residents along the Pakistan border advised to move further inland or consider staying with relatives or using government-provided accommodations.
India’s Directorate General of Shipping has instructed all ports, terminals, and shipyards to enhance security amid “growing concerns regarding potential threats”.
Ansab, a student at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture, Science and Technology in Jammu, reported that recent explosions were “more violent and louder” around 4am local time.
“For two to three minutes, the noise was overwhelming; windows shook as if they would break,” she described, noting that the air later turned “smoggy” from the mixture of smoke and fog.
Damage to homes following strikes on the border.
Airports and schools closed.
Schools have been shut in parts of Kashmir, six border districts in Punjab, and in the provincial capital Chandigarh, along with Rajasthan, which also borders Pakistan.
India has also closed 24 airports, although local media reports suggest the suspension of civilian flights may be lifted as soon as tomorrow morning.
The majority of the casualties have occurred in Pakistan, where at least 32 people have been killed, including 12 children.
Islamabad announced yesterday that its forces had neutralized 29 Israeli-made Harop drones that targeted Pakistan.
The targeted cities included Rawalpindi, the military headquarters and host of the ongoing Pakistan Super League cricket stadium. The remaining matches of the league have been relocated to the United Arab Emirates.
Residents prepare to evacuate following Pakistani artillery shelling on Lagama, Uri.
India, on the other hand, has directed X to block over 8,000 accounts. The platform stated it was reluctantly complying with what it referred to as government-imposed “censorship”.
This initiative seems part of India’s extensive crackdown aimed at social media accounts belonging to Pakistani politicians, celebrities, and media organizations.
New Delhi has held the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, a UN-designated terrorist organization, responsible for the shooting near Pahalgam on April 22.
Pakistan has denied any involvement and has called for an independent investigation.
