US looking into whether Pakistan used American-made F-16s to down Indian aircraft
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The U.S. government is probing whether the Pakistani military violated its trade agreements after allegations that it used American-made F-16 jets to down an Indian aircraft last week, that put the two nuclear powers on the brink of war.
The US embassy in Islamabad said on Sunday that the move would be a violation of the trade agreement with the U.S. that establishes how Pakistan can use the planes.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“We are aware of these reports and are seeking more information,” an embassy spokesperson told Reuters. “We take all allegations of misuse of defense articles very seriously.”
“We are aware of these reports and are seeking more information. We take all allegations of misuse of defense articles very seriously."
Pakistan denied that F-16 jets were used, but hasn’t yet come forward with information about what kind of military jets were employed. The country reportedly assembles Chinese-designed JF-17 fighter jets inside its territory.
Pakistan shot down an Indian jet last week amid the confrontation over the disputed region of Kashmir, where a Feb. 14 suicide bombing killed over 40 Indian paramilitary troops.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This sparked a retaliatory air strike by the Indian government on militant training camps inside Pakistan’s territory, the first such strike inside Pakistan since the 1971 war between the two countries, though Islamabad denied that such camps exist.
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After Pakistan downed the jet, the pilot was captured and returned on Friday in what the Pakistanis called a “peace gesture” to avert further escalation between the two nations. The release of the Indian pilot eased some of the tensions between the neighbors, yet both governments and their militaries still remain on standby.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pakistan has been purchasing American military equipment for years now, especially since 2001 when Pakistan played a role in the “war on terror,” according to Reuters.
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It remains unclear what kind of restrictions Pakistan has on its use of F-16 jets, which the U.S. government refusing to disclose the terms. “The US government does not comment on or confirm pending investigations of this nature,” the US embassy told the outlet.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.