US President Donald Trump on Thursday claimed at least 11 jets were down, six more than what he claimed in May last year. Speaking at his ‘Board of Peace’, Trump increased the number of jets that were shot down during the conflict, taking the number to 11 from his previous claims of eight. Earlier last month, he claimed at least eight fighter jets were down.
Interestingly, until last year, he was saying seven fighter jets were down, but none of the time mentioned which country had faced the loss.
Besdies tall claim of downing fighter jets, Trump said he had threatened to put 200 per cent tariffs on India and Pakistan if they didn't stop the fighting last summer, reiterating the claim that he stopped the war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
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Trump repeated the claim that he stopped eight wars within the first year of his second term in the White House as he addressed an event of the Board of Peace in Washington.
India has consistently denied any third-party intervention.
Trump praises PM Modi
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the event along with leaders of the other nations who have signed up to join the Trump-led organisation. As he addressed the event, Trump listed the conflicts he helped end and asked leaders of the countries to stand up as he mentioned the nations.
Trump asked Sharif to stand up and then said, "I spoke to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi. He's excited. He's watching us right now."
"Pakistan and India. That was a big one. I think you should actually stand, come please stand just for a second. Pakistan and India. Thank you very much," Trump said.
As he spoke about ending the war between India and Pakistan last summer, Trump said he likes Sharif and the country's Field Marshal and Chief of Defence Forces Asim Munir, whom he called a "great guy".
“There was some fighting going on when I got to know him (Sharif) and your Field Marshal General. Great, Great General. Great Field Marshal, a great guy," he said.
Trump raises saving numbers
Trump repeated the assertion that Sharif had claimed he saved "25 million lives" when he stopped the war between India and Pakistan. Earlier, Trump had claimed that Sharif said he had saved 10 million lives by ending the conflict between the two nations. "You made that statement," Trump said to Sharif. "I said 25 million lives, could have been much more, actually, but it was really a beautiful thing. That war was raging. Planes were being shot down, and it was Pakistan and India.”
(With inputs from agency)
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