UN chief Antonio Guterres is "very concerned" over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and wants all member states to protect their civilians, his spokesperson has said.
His remarks came after Indian security forces on Sunday gunned down 13 militants in three counter-insurgency operations that also claimed the lives of three Army jawans and four civilians in Anantnag and Shopian districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
"The Secretary-General is, indeed, very concerned about the situation that we've seen in Jammu and Kashmir. He reminds that Member States are responsible under international humanitarian law to protect civilians," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, told reporters here at his daily press briefing yesterday.
He said the Secretary-General reiterated his call on nations to find ways to address disputes in a peaceful manner.
He added that civilians need to be protected wherever they are, "whether it's in Gaza, whether it's in Jammu and Kashmir, or whether it's in Yemen. It's a basic principle of this organisation."
When asked if the Secretary General is calling for an investigation into the matter, Dujarric said "any loss of civilians needs to be investigated wherever they occur".
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