'Tactical' Mumbai terror attacks jeopardized political progress in South Asia: Mullen

Lahore, Dec 24 (ANI): Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, has described the Mumbai attacks as a 'tactical operation' that had strategic ramifications.

Admiral Mulled said that mayhem in Mumbai had thrown political progress in South Asia into jeopardy.

The Daily Times quoted him as saying that military-to-military contacts between India and Pakistan could defuse tensions between the neighbours.

Admiral Mullen also said that there is a noticeable drop in the number of Taliban fighters trying to cross into Afghanistan from Pakistan, a private TV channel reported.

According to the channel, the US official attributed the decline in the border-crossing incidents to the success of Pakistani military operations, according to a statement issued after his visit to Islamabad.

Mullen said he met top military and intelligence officials in Islamabad, and was of the view that the meetings were positive, according to the channel. (ANI)