Pakistan’s prime minister said Thursday his country would return a captured Indian fighter pilot — but Indian officials refused to say if the move would ease the conflict between the two nuclear powers.

The pilot, identified as Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, became the human face of the flare-up over the contested region of Kashmir following the release of videos showing him being captured and later held in custody.

“We are happy our pilot is being released,” Indian Air Vice Marshal RGK Kapoor said at a news conference Thursday.

He did not say if India considered the return a de-escalation.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said the pilot would be released on Friday, even as his military reported four Pakistani civilians had been killed by India firing across the border in Kashmir.

“As a peace gesture we will be releasing him tomorrow,” Khan told Pakistan’s parliament on Thursday.

Khan’s decision came after several countries offered diplomatic assistance to mediate between the two nations, which have gone to war three times since their independence from British colonial rule in 1947.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said after Khan’s announcement that he had spoken to the leaders of both nations and urged them to avoid “any action that would escalate and greatly increase risk.”