 "'Every state has a duty...': EU condemns Pahalgam attack, backs India's ‘right’ to act against terror")
The European Union (EU) on Thursday condemned the Pahalgam attack and backed India’s right to act against terrorists.
The EU’s statement comes at a time when tensions between India and Pakistan are at their highest point in decades.
After conducting strikes under Operation Sindoor on nine terrorist sites in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) in the early hours of Wednesday, India on Thursday said that India targeted Pakistan's air defence systems earlier in the day. India said these strikes were in response to Pakistan’s attempted missile and drone attacks across northern and western India on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.
The EU in the statement said that those responsible for the Pahalgam attack must be brought to justice.
“Terrorism can never be justified. Those responsible for the attack must be brought to justice. Every state has the duty and the right lawfully to protect its citizens from acts of terror,” said the EU.
As for the ongoing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, the EU said it was closely monitoring the situation and called on both parties to “exercise restraint, to de-escalate tensions, and desist from further attacks to safeguard civilian lives on both sides”.
The EU further said, “The EU urges both sides to engage in dialogue. It is vital that India and Pakistan also live up to their obligations under international law and take all measures possible to protect civilian lives.”
In strikes inside Pakistan on Thursday morning, India said that it has been reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore was destroyed.
Last night, India said that Pakistan attempted drone and missile attacks in following places: Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj. India said these attacks were intercepted and neutralised.
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
