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ISLAMABAD (AP) — India and Pakistan connected Saturday agreed to a ceasefire pursuing U.S.-led talks to extremity the astir superior subject confrontation betwixt the nuclear-armed rivals successful decades.
The ceasefire woody follows weeks of clashes, rocket and drone strikes crossed their borders that were triggered by a weapon massacre of tourists past period that India blames connected Pakistan, which denies the charge. Dozens of civilians person been killed connected some sides.
The archetypal connection of the truce came from U.S. President Donald Trump, who posted connected his Truth Social level that helium was pleased to denote that India and Pakistan had agreed to a afloat and contiguous ceasefire. “Congratulations to some Countries connected utilizing Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attraction to this matter!”
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced the ceasefire connected Geo News. He said Saudi Arabia and Turkey played an important relation successful facilitating the deal.
His Indian counterpart, Vikram Misri, said the caput of subject operations from some countries spoke Saturday afternoon.
“It was agreed betwixt them that some sides would halt each firing and subject enactment connected land, and successful the aerial and sea. Instructions person been fixed connected some sides to springiness effect to this understanding.” The apical subject officials would talk again connected May 12, Misri added.
The woody has brought a swift decision to subject escalation.
India said it targeted Pakistani aerial bases aboriginal Saturday aft Islamabad fired respective high-speed missiles astatine subject and civilian infrastructure successful the country’s Punjab state. Pakistan said it intercepted astir missiles and responded with retaliatory strikes connected India.
India says it gave a befitting reply to Pakistan strikes
Earlier Saturday, India's subject held a property briefing successful New Delhi, saying Pakistan targeted wellness facilities and schools astatine its 3 aerial bases successful Indian-controlled Kashmir.
“Befitting reply has been fixed to Pakistani actions,” said Indian Col. Sofiya Qureshi.
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said India was committed to “non-escalation" provided that Pakistan reciprocated. However, Pakistani crushed forces were observed mobilizing toward guardant areas, she said, “indicating an violative intent to further escalate the situation.”
“Indian equipped forces stay successful a precocious authorities of operational readiness,” she added.
Pakistan's subject said it utilized medium-range Fateh missiles to deed an Indian rocket retention installation and aerial bases successful the cities of Pathankot and Udhampur.
The Associated Press could not independently verify each the actions attributed to Pakistan oregon India.
Army spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmad Sharif said Pakistan's aerial unit assets were harmless pursuing the Indian assault.
Indian strikes people Pakistani aerial bases
Tensions person soared since an onslaught astatine a fashionable tourer tract successful India-controlled Kashmir near 26 civilians dead, mostly Indian Hindu tourists, connected April 22. New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for backing the assault, an accusation Islamabad rejects.
Indian missiles Saturday targeted Nur Khan aerial basal successful the garrison metropolis of Rawalpindi, adjacent the superior Islamabad, Murid aerial basal successful Chakwal metropolis and Rafiqui aerial basal successful the Jhang territory of eastbound Punjab province, according to Pakistan's subject spokesman.
There were nary contiguous reports of the onslaught oregon its aftermath from residents successful the densely populated Rawalpindi.
Pakistanis celebrated the rocket launches connected India.
"Thank God we person yet responded to Indian aggression,” said Muhammad Ashraf, who had gone retired successful Lahore for breakfast. There were jubilant scenes successful Peshawar and Karachi.
Explosions successful India-controlled Kashmir
Following the announcement of Pakistani retaliation, residents successful Indian-controlled Kashmir said they heard large explosions astatine aggregate places, including the 2 large cities of Srinagar and Jammu and the garrison municipality of Udhampur.
“Explosions that we are proceeding contiguous are antithetic from the ones we heard the past 2 nights during drone attacks,” said Shesh Paul Vaid, the region’s erstwhile apical constabulary authoritative and Jammu resident. “It looks similar a warfare here.”
Vaid said explosions were heard from areas with subject bases, adding it appeared that service sites were targeted. Residents surviving adjacent Srinagar city’s airport, which is besides an aerial base, said they were rattled by the explosions and booming dependable of jets.
“I was already awake, but the explosions jolted my kids retired of their sleep. They started crying,” said Srinagar nonmigratory Mohammed Yasin, adding helium heard astatine slightest 2 explosions.
Praveen Donthi, a elder expert with the International Crisis Group for India, said the 2 countries were astatine warfare adjacent if they had not yet labelled it arsenic one.
“It’s go a remorseless contention for subject one-upmanship with nary evident strategical extremity goals from either side,” said Donthi. “Finding an exit oregon off-ramp is going to beryllium challenging.”
India and Pakistan person traded strikes and dense cross-border occurrence for days, resulting successful civilian casualties connected some sides.
Buildings were destroyed oregon damaged successful Indian-controlled Kashmir, wherever almighty blasts ripped disconnected roofs, windows and walls and near homes riddled with holes.
Villagers and rescuers successful a territory of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir sifted done the rubble of homes deed by overnight Indian shelling connected Friday arsenic radical carried the dead. Others surveyed the ruins.
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Hussain reported from Srinagar, India and Roy reported from New Delhi. Associated Press writers Sheikh Saaliq successful New Delhi, Babar Dogar successful Lahore, Pakistan, Asim Tanveer successful Multan, Pakistan and Riaz Khan successful Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to this report.
