UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on all parties in Indian-held Kashmir to exercise “maximum restraint” and address the tense situation there through peaceful means.
“The Secretary-General is closely following the recent clashes in Kashmir,” he said on Monday in a statement issued through his spokesman on the situation in the Indian-held Kashmir where at least 30 protesters have been killed by Indian security forces.
The fresh violence and unrest follows killing of, Burhan Wani, 22, a militant leader, who died in a gunfight with the Indian army on Friday, according to media reports.
“He (Ban Ki-moon) regrets the reported loss of dozens of lives and the injuries to many others,” the statement said.
“He calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further violence and hopes that all concerns would be addressed through peaceful means,” it added.
The statement Monday evening came after the secretary-general’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, told reporters that Ban was “concerned’ over the heightening tensions in Indian-administered Kashmir.
The ongoing bout of violence is the worst seen in the disputed region for years. Some 800 extra troops are being sent to help restore order.
Around 200 other people have been reportedly injured in the clashes, in which government forces have fired live rounds and tear gas, according to media accounts.
