US President Donald Trump calls Pulwama attack 'horrible situation'; asks India, Pakistan to 'get along'

NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump on Tuesday denounced the Pulwama attack by Jaish-e-Mohammed, describing it as a “horrible situation”. 

"I have watched. I have got a lot of reports on it. We will have comment (on it) at an appropriate time. It would be wonderful if they (India and Pakistan) get along," said Trump in response to a question during a press brief.

"That (the terrorist attack) was a horrible situation. We are getting reports. We will have a statement to put out," he added.

At least 40 CRPF personnel were martyred on Thursday after a suicide bomber from the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a bus carrying the jawans in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. Several injured jawans are still being treated in hospital. The February 14 attack has led to the escalation of tension between India and Pakistan.

Following the terrorist attack, Trump's National Security Advisor John Bolton came out in support of India's right to self-defense. 

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, and the White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders in separate statements have asked Pakistan to immediately take action against the JeM and its leaders and end support to the terrorist safe haven. 

China too urged restraint by India and Pakistan amid escalating tensions over the Pulwama terror attack and called on both the countries to peacefully resolve their issues through dialogue as soon as possible on Tuesday. "Pakistan and India are both important countries in South Asia. A stable bilateral relationship between the two is essential to the peace and stability in the region," Geng Shuang, spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry said during a media brief.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has also called on India and Pakistan to exercise "maximum restraint" and offered to mediate in the face of rising tensions following the attack. Guterres, through a spokesman, said that the UN is deeply concerned about the situation while offering to mediate if the two parties request it.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Michelle Bachelet also strongly condemned last week's suicide bomb attack calling on authorities to bring those responsible to justice.

With PTI inputs