New York: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for "maximum military restraint" from India and Pakistan, emphasizing that the world cannot afford a military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed nations.

According to Qatar News Agency, Guterres' remarks were conveyed by his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric in the wake of India's announcement of "Operation Sindoor," a series of targeted strikes initiated in response to the Pahalgam attack. Dujarric stated, "The Secretary-General is very concerned about the Indian military operations across the Line of Control and international border. He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries."

The Secretary-General's plea comes amid escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan, following the devastating attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people. India has attributed the attack to groups based in Pakistan, further straining relations between the neighboring countries.

In response to the rising tensions, the UN Security Council convened a closed-door meeting on Monday to address the situation, following a request from Islamabad for an emergency discussion. The meeting took place at the UN headquarters in New York, reflecting the international community's concern over the potential for increased conflict in the region.