The United States national security adviser John Bolton has on Friday told his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval that Washington supports New Delhi’s right to self-defence after both the leaders discussed the Pulwana suicide bomber terror attack where 44 Indian paramilitaries were killed in Kashmir on February 14, 2019.
According to NDTV news reports, Bolton held a telephone conversation with Doval on Friday and expressed his country’s condolences for the Pulwana terror attack in Kashmir as well as offered the US full support to India in investigating the attack.
Bolton told PTI: “I told Ajit Doval today that we support India’s right to self-defence. I have spoken to him twice, including this morning … and expressed US’ condolences over the terrorist attack.”
Bolton said Washington has been very clear to Pakistan over putting an end to supporting terrorist and militant groups as well as their safe haven.
He said, “We have been very clear on that score … And, we are continuing to be in discussions we are going to have with the Pakistanis.”
Earlier, secretary of state Mike Pompeo and the White House has asked Islamabad to put an end to its support to terrorist safe haven residing inside Pakistan.
In a tweet, Pompeo wrote: “The U.S. condemns yesterday’s horrific terror attack on Indian security forces. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We stand with #India as it confronts terrorism. Pakistan must not provide a safe haven for terrorists to threaten international security.”
The U.S. condemns yesterday’s horrific terror attack on Indian security forces. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We stand with #India as it confronts terrorism. Pakistan must not provide safe haven for terrorists to threaten international security.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) February 15, 2019
In a strict message to Islamabad, the White House asked Pak to “immediately end” its “support” to terror groups and not provide them with a “safe haven”, as Washington condemned the brutal Pulwana attack.
In a statement, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders, on Thursday said, “The United States calls on Pakistan to end immediately the support and safe haven provided to all terrorist groups operating on its soil, whose only goal is to sow chaos, violence, and terror in the region.”