By Arun Kumar, IANS,
Washington : Condemning Thursday’s terror attacks in Hyderabad, the United States said it stood with India in combating the scourge of terrorism and was prepared to offer any assistance that New Delhi may need.
Secretary of State John Kerry personallyconveyed his “sincere condolences at the loss of life as a result of the terror attacks in Hyderabad today, and the condemnation of the government and the people of the United States,” during a brief meeting with visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai.
After the meeting with Mathai, Kerry also sent a tweet saying “Saw friend/Foreign Secretary Mathai- discussed importance of relationship w/ #India, expressed sympathies to brave people of #Hyderabad -JK”
The “JK” tag indicated that he personally wrote the message.
Other US officials, including Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy R. Sherman whom Mathai met Thursday also reiterated the sentiments over Hyderabad terror attacks.
“Sherman expressed the United States’ condolences for the Hyderabad bombings and underscored the priority we attach to our counterterrorism cooperation,” according to a State Department statement.
Earlier, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters “We condemn the cowardly attack in Hyderabad, India in the strongest possible terms, and we extend our deepest sympathies to those affected and to the people of India.
“The United States stands with India in combating the scourge of terrorism, and we are also prepared to offer any and all assistance that Indian authorities may need,” she said
The US, she said did not have any information to share on who was behind the attack. Nor was she aware if India had sought any assistance from the US in this respect.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at [email protected])