AGENCY
WASHINGTON: Strongly condemning the terrorist attacks in Kashmir, the US has said it remains firm on its commitment to work with India to defeat terrorism in all forms.
“The United States strongly condemns Friday’s terrorist attacks in Kashmir, which claimed the lives of innocent civilians, military, and police personnel,” a senior State Department official said.
The Kashmir Valley was yesterday rocked by four terror attacks by militants from across the border who stormed an Army camp in Uri leaving 11 security personnel including a Lt Colonel dead and killed two civilians in Tral.
“The United States remains firmly committed to working in close partnership with India to defeat terrorism in all its forms,” the State Department said in a statement yesterday.
“Our hearts go out to the families of those affected by this deplorable attack,” it said.
Earlier yesterday, the US said its policy on Kashmir has not changed and it is for India and Pakistan to decide on the pace and scope of peace talks between them.
“Our policy on Kashmir hasn’t changed. We still believe that the pace and the scope and character of India and Pakistan’s dialogue on Kashmir is for those two countries to determine,” State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf told reporters.
“We are concerned about any violence in Kashmir,” she said.
“Of course our embassies in both places have raised these types of incidents with their respective host governments and certainly encouraged both to continue working together on the issue,” she said in response to a question.
The attacks and gun battles with security forces in Kashmir left 21 people dead and also included a top commander of Pakistan-based terror outfit LeT and seven militants.
Srinagar and Shopian were the other two places where the militants struck.
Modi, who will be holding a rally in Srinagar on Monday, condemned the terror attacks as “desperate attempts” to derail the atmosphere of hope created by the increased voter turnout and saluted the soldiers who laid down their lives for the nation. (PTI)
