NEW DELHI: US President Barack Obama phoned Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today to condemn a deadly restaurant bombing last

week, a statement from the premier’s office said.

The attack on a bakery in the western city of Pune on Saturday killed 11 people, with 60 others hospitalised. Obama called Singh to “condemn the blast that took place in Pune on Saturday and to condole the loss of lives,” the statement said. “In a brief conversation, the two leaders took the opportunity to review developments in Indo-US relations,” it added. On Tuesday the State Department condemned the bombing and pledged to keep cooperating with New Delhi in fighting extremism. A previously unknown Islamist group that said it had splintered from a larger Pakistan-based organisation has claimed responsibility for the attack.