US voices concern as Pakistan-India border fighting intensifies

Asia-Pacific, News January 6, 2015 , by IRIA No Comments

Thousands of Indians have fled from their homes as fighting between India and Pakistan spread along a 200-km (124 mile) stretch of the border in the disputed region of Kashmir.

According to a report, at least 10 Indian and Pakistani soldiers and civilians have been killed in fighting over the past week.

Around 1,500 people in Indian border villages were evacuated or fled their homes over the weekend. Some people went back to their homes and fields during a daytime lull in the firing on Sunday but returned to government-run relief camps later, said Shantmanu, a government official who uses one name.

Tension between the nuclear-armed rivals has risen since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called off peace talks in August and clashes along stretches of their border have been erupting intermittently since October.

The violence comes days before U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is due to visit India. President Barack Obama is also due to visit India later this month.

The United States has for years been trying to push the South Asian rivals to build better relations. Mistrust between India and Pakistan is a factor behind conflict in various parts of the region including Afghanistan.

India has reacted sharply to a US certification to Pakistan actions against terror outfits after John Kerry’s thumbs up to Islamabad released US aid of more than $532 million to Pakistan.

The US certification was personally made by secretary of state John Kerry, indicating a shift in US policy to Pakistan. As US troops end combat operations in Afghanistan, Washington is clearly pumping in more civilian aid to Islamabad under the Kerry-Lugar Bill.

The United States expressed concern over rising tensions and exchange of fire along the working boundary of Pakistan and India.

The US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Monday the US remained concerned by the border tensions, and encouraged dialogue between India and Pakistan.

Reuters