The United Nations has urged India and Pakistan “to exercise maximum restraint and to ensure that the situation and the developments we’ve seen do not deteriorate any further.””Any issues between Pakistan and India, we believe can be and should be resolved peacefully, through meaningful, mutual engagement,” the statement said Friday.India and Pakistan each administer a part of Kashmir.New Delhi describes all militancy there as Pakistan-backed terrorism. Pakistan denies this, and some Muslim Kashmiris consider the militants to be part of a home-grown freedom struggle.Residents and police in southern Kashmir said Indian soldiers detonated explosives in the family homes of two suspected militants they accused of being involved in Tuesday’s attack. In the past, Indian troops have demolished homes as a way to punish militancy in Kashmir.Authorities say they are investigating two local men and two Pakistani nationals for their alleged involvement in the attack. Officials have not elaborated or shared any evidence.”He left home three years ago. We haven’t seen him since and nothing was ever recovered from this house despite multiple raids,” said Afroza, the aunt of one of the local men accused, Asif Sheikh.The blast partially damaged the house in Monghama village that she shares with Sheikh’s parents and two sisters, including blowing out its windows. It also shattered windowpanes of several other homes.”Even if he had done the attack, why blow up the house of a poor family,” Afroza, who like many women in Kashmir uses only one name, said as she wailed.A police official and two residents in Guree village said a house there was also targeted by soldiers. The official insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak with media while the two villagers feared reprisals from authorities.
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