People check their damaged house after they were hit by shelling from Pakistan in Salamabad, Uri, in north India-administered Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir on May 08, 2025. (AA Photo)
May 08, 2025 10:25 PM GMT+03:00
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday expressed Türkiye’s full support for Pakistan’s call for an international investigation into the deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, warning that rising India-Pakistan tensions risk spiraling into open warfare.
Speaking at a press conference in Ankara alongside Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Erdogan confirmed that he had spoken with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, sharing his condolences and stressing Ankara’s growing alarm over the deteriorating security situation in South Asia.
“We are concerned that the tension between Pakistan and India may escalate into a hot conflict due to missile strikes in which many civilians have been martyred,” Erdogan said, referring to the Pakistani civilian victims as “martyrs.”
“May Allah have mercy on our brothers who lost their lives in the attacks. Once again, I offer my condolences to the people and government of our brotherly nation Pakistan,” he added.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech as he holds a joint press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani (not seen) following their meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, Türkiye on May 08, 2025. (AA Photo)
Reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to regional stability, Erdogan criticized those who have inflamed the crisis and stressed the need for diplomacy.
“Despite those who pour fuel on the fire, we in Türkiye are making every effort to reduce tensions and open channels for dialogue before the situation reaches an irreversible point,” he said.
His remarks came after India launched “Operation Sindoor” late Tuesday, claiming to have targeted “terrorist infrastructure at nine locations” inside Pakistan. Indian authorities framed the strikes as both retaliatory and preventative, citing recent cross-border attacks.
People gather in front of the shattered glasses of a restaurant outside the Rawalpindi cricket stadium after an alleged drone was shot down in Rawalpindi, Pakistan on May 8, 2025. (AFP Photo)
Pakistan said at least 31 civilians were killed and 57 injured in the Indian operation and subsequent cross-border firing. In response, Pakistani forces reportedly shot down five Indian fighter jets and vowed to retaliate.
According to India’s Defense Ministry, 16 people died in cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Indian-administered Kashmir.
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The situation escalated further Thursday as both nations claimed to have shot down each other’s drones, some reportedly crashing into densely populated urban areas.
Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, accused India of using Israeli-made Harop drones, saying 29 drones were intercepted overnight. He called the attack a “serious provocation” and confirmed the deaths of three civilians and injuries to four soldiers.
May 09, 2025 01:13 AM GMT+03:00
