ISLAMABAD – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo played an “essential role” inde-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan last week, according to atop State Department official.

Tensions between India and Pakistan flared up after a suicide bomber ofJaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) group killed 40 Central Reserve Police Forcepersonnel in Kashmir’s Pulwama district on February 14.

India launched a counter-terror operation in Balakot on February 26. Thenext day, Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 and capturedits pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, who was handed over to India on Friday.

State Department Deputy spokesperson, said: “Secretary Pompeo leddiplomatic engagement directly, and that played an essential role inde-escalating the tensions between the two sides”.

“We continue to urge both sides to continue to take steps to de-escalatethe situation and that includes through direct communication.

We believe strongly that further military activity will exacerbate thesituation,” he said.Palladino also reiterated America’s call for Pakistanto abide by its UN Security Council commitments to deny terroristssanctuary and block their access to funds.

Pompeo made the diplomatic efforts over phone from Hanoi where he waspresent to attend the North Korea summit with US President Donald Trump, hesaid.”He (Pompeo) spoke with leaders in both countries, and that includedthe Indian Minister of External Affairs (Sushma) Swaraj, National SecurityAdvisor (Ajit) Doval, and Pakistani Foreign Minister (Shah Mehmood)Qureshi,” Palladino said.

Meanwhile, Congressman Brad Sherman on Tuesday commended both India andPakistan for continuing to show restraint.”We must never forget that no onecan win a war between nuclear-armed powers. I will continue to monitor thesituation closely,” he said.