U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, on Friday (U.S. local time), amid escalating tensions along the India-Pakistan border, the U.S. Department of State said in a statement.
“Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir earlier today. He continued to urge both parties to find ways to de-escalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts,” the State Department said.
Earlier, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated Washington’s concern over the growing hostilities. “This is something that the secretary of state and of course now our national security adviser as well, Marco Rubio, has been very much involved in. The President wants to see this de-escalate as quickly as possible,” she told reporters.
Leavitt acknowledged the long-standing nature of the conflict and stressed that efforts were ongoing to prevent further escalation.
The diplomatic outreach comes as border tensions continue to flare. On Saturday, the Indian Army reported multiple drone incursions by Pakistan, calling it a “blatant escalation.”
