The White House urged India and Pakistan to avoid escalation in their dispute over Kashmir on Thursday after elite Indian troops crossed the line of control to attack militants in Pakistan-ruled Kashmir it said were preparing attacks on major cities. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said reports from the region indicated the Indian and Pakistani militaries had been in communication with one another 'and we encourage continued discussions ... to avoid escalation.' He said President Barack Obama's national security adviser, Susan Rice, had spoken to her Indian counterpart on Wednesday and made clear Washington is 'concerned by the danger that cross-border terrorism poses.' Earnest said he could not speak to 'any specific coordination' between India and the United States on the situation.