US supports India’s ‘right to self-defence’

New Delhi, Feb 16: US National Security Adviser John Bolton told his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval on Friday that America supports India’s right to self-defence after the two officials discussed the Pulwama bombing in which 49 CRPF troopers were killed on Thursday.

Bolton telephoned Doval on Friday morning to express his condolences for the attack in Kashmir and offered the US’ full support to India in confronting “terrorism”.”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 attack,” he told PTI.

Bolton said the US has been very clear to Pakistan on ending support to “terrorist” safe havens.”We have been very clear on that score… And, we are continuing to be in discussions we are going to have with the Pakistanis,” he said.

Earlier, the White House and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked Pakistan to end its support to “terrorist” safe havens inside the country.”We stand with #India as it confronts terrorism. Pakistan must not provide safe haven for terrorists to threaten international security,” Pompeo said on Twitter.

In a stern message to Pakistan, the White House asked Islamabad to “immediately end” its “support” to all “terror” groups and not to provide “safe haven” to them, as the US condemned the brutal Pulwama terror attack claimed the lives of at least 40 CRPF soldiers.

Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has claimed responsibility for the Thursday’s attack in Pulwama district on Thursday that left 49 CRPF soldiers dead and many others wounded.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)