Türkiye denies sending weapons to Pakistan as Erdogan urges India-Pakistan restraint

ANKARA, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye's government on Monday denied reports that it had dispatched aircraft carrying weapons to Pakistan amid escalating tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi.

"The claim reported by certain media outlets that 'Türkiye sent six aircraft full of weapons to Pakistan' is not true," the government's Directorate of Communications stated on the social media platform X. Officials clarified that a single Turkish transport plane had landed in Pakistan solely for refueling before proceeding along its planned route.

The denial came as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for restraint between India and Pakistan. "We want the escalating tensions between Pakistan and India to be de-escalated as soon as possible, before they evolve into a more serious situation," Erdogan told reporters on Monday following a cabinet meeting in Ankara, the capital. "Türkiye emphasizes at every opportunity that we do not want new conflicts in our region and beyond."

Erdogan's comments followed a week of mounting hostility sparked by a deadly attack last Tuesday in Indian-controlled Kashmir, where unknown assailants killed at least 25 people, according to Indian news reports.

In response, India swiftly accused Pakistan of involvement, announcing on Wednesday significant measures including the suspension of participation in the Indus Waters Treaty -- a critical water-sharing agreement, closing border crossings, and expelling Pakistani diplomatic personnel.

Pakistan's Senate on Friday unanimously passed a resolution rejecting what it termed "Indian allegations" linking it to the Kashmir attack. Islamabad subsequently warned on Saturday that it would respond with full force to any Indian attempt to alter water flows governed by the treaty.

Adding to the volatility, Pakistani security sources reported exchanges of fire between Pakistani and Indian forces along the Line of Control, the de facto border in the disputed region of Kashmir, lasting from Saturday night into Sunday morning. Enditem