Pakistan on Friday, May 9, accused India of bringing the nuclear-armed neighbours "closer to a major conflict," as the death toll from three days of missile, artillery and drone attacks passed 50. The bloody escalation comes after an attack on tourists last month in the Indian-run part of disputed Kashmir that killed 26 people, and which New Delhi accused Islamabad of backing − an allegation Pakistan has denied.
India responded with air strikes Wednesday on what it called "terrorist camps" in Pakistan, killing more than 20 civilians and fuelling the worst clashes between the two in
decades. Pakistan's foreign ministry spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan said that India's "reckless conduct has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict." Military spokesman Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told media: "We will not de-escalate − with the damages they did on our side, they should take a hit."
On a third day of tit-for-tat exchanges, the Indian army said it had "repulsed" waves of Pakistani attacks using drones and other munitions overnight, and gave a "befitting reply." Late Friday, an Indian defense source said that drones had been sighted in the Indian-administered Kashmir areas of Jammu and Samba, and in the neighbouring Punjab state. Earlier, Pakistan's military spokesman denied that Islamabad was carrying out such attacks.
Most of the more than 50 deaths were in Pakistan during Wednesday's air strikes by India and included children. Pakistani military sources said that its forces had shot down 77 Indian drones in the last two days, with debris of many incursions seen in cities across the country. India said 300 to 400 drones had attempted to cross into its territory, and also accused Pakistani forces on Thursday of targeting three military stations.
Pakistan's military said Wednesday that five Indian jets had been downed across the border, but New Delhi has not responded to the claims, while a military source said three jets had crashed on home territory. Both sides have made repeated claims and counter-claims that are difficult to verify.
World powers have called for both sides to exercise "restraint," with several offering to mediate the dispute. On Friday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in Islamabad, according to a statement. That meeting came after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met his Indian counterpart in Delhi on Thursday, days after visiting Pakistan. The International Crisis Group, however, said "foreign powers appear to have been somewhat indifferent" to the prospect of war, despite warnings of possible escalation.