Pahalgam terror attack: US appeals to India and Pakistan to de-escalate border tensions

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has spoken to India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Rubio has reaffirmed US' commitment to India's combat against terrorism and appealed to Pakistan to cooperate in the investigation into the terror attack that killed 26 tourists, all men and mostly Hindus, in the popular tourist spot Pahalgam of Jammu and Kashmir.

Days ago, the US had said it was in "touch" with both India and Pakistan and appealed to both the parties to "work towards a responsible resolution"

"This is an evolving situation and we are monitoring developments closely. We have been in touch with the governments of India and Pakistan at multiple levels," a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement.

"The United States encourages all parties to work together towards a responsible resolution," the spokesperson added.

Reacting to the Pahalgam attack fallout, US President Donald Trump a week ago said India and Pakistan will figure out their border tension, which he claimed to be going on for 1,500 years.

Pahalgam attack and its repercussions

On April 22, 2025, the terrorists- belonging to The Resistance Front (TRF), which is an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)- asked the victims to chant Islamic verses (kalma) and made them pull down their pants to be sure of their their non-Muslim religious identities (read circumcision)  before gunning them down before their families, including wives, children and daughters.

The massacre triggered nationwide outrage and escalated India-Pakistan tensions as New Delhi vowed to avenge the killings.

In an immediate response, India suspended the landmark Indus River water-sharing treaty and closed the Attari-Wagah road border, which acts as a lifeline of Indo-Pak trade and people-to-people ties, besides expelling diplomats, downsizing high commissions, and issuing a 48-hour deadline to Pakistani visa holders present in India to leave.

Modi gives full freedom to Indian military

Modi has given the armed forces 'complete freedom to decide on the mode, targets, and timing' of India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack which was targeted at Hindus.

Modi took the decision on Tuesday at a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed that it is 'our national resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism' and that he has 'complete faith and confidence' in the Indian military.

After the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, India conducted precision air strikes on terrorist camps in Balakot in Pakistan. The camps were run by banned terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed with the help from the Pak Army.