ISTANBUL

France on Wednesday called on both India and Pakistan to avoid escalation and protect civilians after India launched midnight strikes on cities in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

"We understand India's desire to protect itself against the scourge of terrorism. But we obviously call on both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, to avoid escalation and, of course, to protect civilians," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on the French broadcaster TF1.

"We condemned in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attack in India on April 22, which left 26 civilians brutally murdered," he said.

"We hoped that Pakistan would also denounce it with great force," he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, India said it launched midnight strikes on cities in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Pakistan said the attack violates its sovereignty, and it reserves the right to respond.

At least 26 people, including women and children, were killed and another 46 injured in the military strikes, according to the Pakistani army.

Seven Indians were killed and 35 injured in an exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani forces at the disputed Kashmir border.

The escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors comes in the wake of the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed. India had blamed Pakistan for the attack, claiming there were cross-border links.

Pakistan denied that it had anything to do with the killings.​​​​​​​