Turkish president expresses solidarity with Pakistan amid India's escalation

Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has held a phone conversation with Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, according to a press release from the Communications Directorate under the Presidency of Türkiye.

The Directorate said in a statement that during the talks, the two leaders discussed the escalation between India and Pakistan, the attack that took place on the night of May 6 to 7, and further development of the situation, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

The Turkish head of state expressed Türkiye’s solidarity with Pakistan. The Turkish leader extended his condolences over the deaths of Pakistani citizens as a result of the attack and wished a speedy recovery to those who were injured.

The president emphasised that Türkiye supports Pakistan’s balanced and restrained policy amid the ongoing developments.

He described as appropriate the proposal for an impartial, transparent, and credible international investigation into the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to him, Ankara is ready to make every necessary effort to prevent further escalation between Pakistan and India, and diplomatic contacts on the matter will continue.

In the early hours of May 7, tensions between India and Pakistan escalated dramatically following India's launch of "Operation Sindoor," a series of missile strikes targeting locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The operation lasted just under half an hour and involved Rafale fighter jets armed with SCALP cruise missiles and AASM Hammer precision-guided munitions.

Islamabad strongly condemned the strikes, denouncing them as an "unprovoked and blatant act of war." Pakistani officials reported the deaths of at least 26 civilians and injuries to 46 others, including women and children. Damage was said to include mosques and residential areas in Kotli, Muzaffarabad, Bahawalpur, and Muridke.

In response to India’s nighttime strikes on six targets inside Pakistan, the Pakistan military claimed to have downed five Indian aircraft and one drone, and carried out retaliatory missile attacks on Indian-held Kashmir, destroying a brigade-level military headquarters.

The Pakistani forces downed three Rafale fighters, one Su-30, one Mig-29, and a Heron drone.

By Khagan Isayev