The European Union (EU) and its member states of 27 issued on Thursday a fierce condemnation of the brutal terrorist strike in Pahalgam, reiterating that all nations have both the obligation and the right to defend their citizens legally against acts of terrorism.
The EU reiterated that terrorism can never be justified and reiterated the importance of bringing those guilty of the murderous attack to book. The remarks were made in the aftermath of India's Operation Sindoor, a military action against nine top terror targets in Pakistan and PoK as reprisal for the April 22 attack on 26 innocent people.
"The EU follows closely and closely with great apprehension the escalations in tension in the region and their respective consequences, with the threat for further loss of life. The EU appeals to both sides to exercise restraint, to calm the tensions, to avoid new attacks in a desire to preserve human lives on either side," EU stated officially.
The EU also called upon India and Pakistan to talk to each other, saying, "It is important that India and Pakistan also meet their responsibilities under international law and do everything in their power to safeguard civilian lives. The EU will work with all parties to defuse the situation."
In a display of solidarity, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen shared her heartfelt condolences last month regarding the "vile" terror attack. "The vile terror attack in Pahalgam took so many innocent lives. My deepest condolences to PM Narendra Modi and all Indian hearts mourning today. But I know that India's spirit is indomitable. You will be strong in this test. And Europe will be with you," she wrote on X.
Operation Sindoor, conducted on Wednesday morning, was a coordinated, tri-service operation against terrorist infrastructure associated with the April 22 attack. The Indian government informed that India had exercised its right to retaliate against the heinous acts of terror emanating from the other side.
In a press briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, accompanied by Colonel Sophiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, characterized India's reaction to the Pahalgam attack as calibrated, measured, and non-escalatory.
They attested that real-time monitoring and post-strike analysis indicated the effective neutralization of the targeted objectives. Operation Sindoor is one of India's most decisive cross-border military actions since the 2019 Balakot airstrikes.
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