Thaindian News

New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Thursday rang up External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and underlined her country’s solidarity in the “common fight” against terrorism in the wake of terror strikes targeting Mumbai. “Rice expressed full support of the US government to India in this common fight against terrorism,” official sources told IANS.

The US was among the first few countries to condemn ‘horrific attacks’ in the Indian financial capital of Mumbai and said it was ready to support the Indian authorities in dealing with the situation.

“We strongly condemn the terrorist attacks that have taken place in Mumbai, India. Our sympathies go out to the families and friends of those killed and injured, and to the people of Mumbai,” the state department said in statement Wednesday.

“We are monitoring the situation very closely and stand ready to support the Indian authorities as they deal with this horrific series of attacks,” it said.

The US embassy here is not aware of any American casualties in the attacks, in which 101 people were killed and over 250 injured.

“US President-elect Barack Obama, who takes office Jan 20, also ’strongly condemned’ terrorist attacks in Mumbai,” Brooke Anderson, his spokesperson on national security, said in statement.

“These coordinated attacks on innocent civilians demonstrate the grave and urgent threat of terrorism,” she said.

“The United States must continue to strengthen our partnerships with India and nations around the world to root out and destroy terrorist networks.”