US tells Pakistan to 'fight terrorists within borders'

NEW DELHI, India (AA) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday urged Pakistan to join other countries in fighting terrorists within its borders.

Speaking at a news conference in New Delhi after meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Kerry said there should be no distinction between “good terrorists and bad terrorists.”

"We cannot and will not make distinctions between good and bad terrorists. Terror is terror no matter where it comes from, or who carries it out," he said.

Kerry also said the people responsible for the 2008 attacks in Mumbai and the 2016 in Pathankot in India should be brought to justice. India accuses Pakistan of being responsible for carrying out both the attacks.

He also said Islamabad should not feel isolated by the upcoming talks between the U.S., India and Afghanistan in New York.

Kerry made no reference to the deadly violence in Indian-held Kashmir where at least 69 civilians have been killed and over 7,500 others wounded in firing by Indian security forces amid ongoing 53-day curfew.

In her remarks, Swaraj said: “We reaffirmed the urgent necessity for Pakistan to dismantle safe havens for terrorists and criminal networks, including Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and D Company.”

Swaraj also said Kerry had reiterated the continued support of the U.S. to India’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group and permanent membership of the UN Security Council.