ISLAMABAD – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed with British NSAMark Sedwill the current situation between India and Pakistan and theefforts to reduce tensions between the two South Asian neighbours, theState Department has said.

According to the State Department, the talk was reflective of the fact thatthe United States continues to engage its resources to reduce the tensionsbetween the two nuclear countries.

“Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo met with UK National Security AdvisorMark Sedwill today to discuss key global priorities, including support forreducing tension between India and Pakistan.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after a suicide bomber ofJaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPF personnel in Occupied Jammu andKashmir’s Pulwama district in February 14.

India launched a counter-terror operation in Balakot. The next day,Pakistan Air Force retaliated and downed a MiG-21 in an aerial combat andcaptured its pilot, who was handed over to India on March 1.