The United States is stepping up pressure on India and Pakistan to avoid conflict in Kashmir after a tourist massacre in an Indian-administered area of the divided territory last week.

NEW DELHI (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called senior officials in India and Pakistan in an effort to defuse the crisis that followed last week’s deadly attack in Kashmir, the State Department said.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged India and Pakistan to work with each other to de-escalate tensions after last week's Islamist militant attack in India-administered Kashmir, the State Department said on Wednesday.