ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army announced on Tuesday (May 13) a new death toll of 40 civilians and 11 military service members killed last week in the worst confrontation with India in decades.
The nuclear-armed neighbours engaged in four days of tit-for-tat strikes that threatened to escalate into all-out war before US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire on Saturday he said Washington brokered.
Pakistan’s army said in a statement that India’s “unprovoked and reprehensible dastardly attacks” killed 40 civilians, including seven women and 15 children.
“While defending the motherland with exemplary valour, 11 personnel of the Pakistan Armed Forces embraced martyrdom and 78 were wounded,” it said.
“Let there be no ambiguity: any attempt to challenge Pakistan’s sovereignty or territorial integrity, ever again, shall be met with a swift, full-spectrum, and decisive response”, it added.
Previously Pakistan’s official toll was 33 civilians with no military losses.
India has said that 15 civilians and five soldiers died.
Despite mutual claims on initial violations, the ceasefire still appeared to be holding on Tuesday.
Trump said on Monday that US intervention had prevented a “bad nuclear war”.
“We stopped a nuclear conflict … millions of people could have been killed. So I’m very proud of that,” he told reporters at the White House.
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