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India, Pakistan to consider troop pullback from border — agency

Previously, it was reported that New Delhi and Islamabad are poised to continue negotiations

NEW DELHI, May 12. /TASS/. India and Pakistan will consider pulling back troops from the border, the ANI news agency reported in the wake of talks between the director generals of military operations of the two countries.

"Issues related to continuing the commitment that both sides must not fire a single shot or initiate any aggressive and inimical action against each other were discussed. It was also agreed that both sides consider immediate measures to ensure troop reduction from the borders and forward areas," the agency quoted the Indian army as saying in a statement.

Previously, it was reported that New Delhi and Islamabad are poised to continue negotiations. The date of next talks will be announced soon.

Tensions escalated between India and Pakistan following the deadly terror attack in the popular tourist town of Pahalgam in India’s Jammu and Kashmir union territory, where 25 Indian citizens and one Nepalese national were killed. India claimed that it has proof that the attack was carried out by the Lashkar-e-Taiba group (outlawed in Russia) of Pakistani Inter-Service Intelligence. New Delhi and Islamabad introduced reciprocal measures with regard to diplomatic workers, suspended any bilateral ties and closed their airspace for each other’s planes.

Overnight on May 7, the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor and carried out strikes on terrorist bases in Pakistan. In response, Pakistan announced launching Operation Bunyan Ul Marsoos (a verse from the Quran which roughly translates as a "solid wall of lead"). On May 10, New Delhi and Islamabad agreed on a ceasefire. Following talks between the military, an agreement was reached that the sides cease all combat and fire on sea, air or land. However, several hours afterwards, drones were detected in several towns in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in Punjab, air defense systems went off and power went out. According to the Indian military, the past night on the LoC and the international border between India and Pakistan was quiet.

On May 12, the Hindustan Times reported, citing sources, that India will hold talks with Pakistan only at the level of the military with no political contacts.

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