Terror targets J&K tourists, More than 20 killed after gunmen open fire on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir

 

 

Authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir have told at least two dozen people have been killed when gunmen opened fire on a group of domestic tourists who were visiting a well-known tourist destination.

 

"Switzerland of India" is a common description of Pahalgam, a charming town in the Himalayas, where the attack occurred. The attack was described as "far larger than anything we have seen directed at civilians in recent years" by Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of the region. Numerous people are reportedly injured, some of them are in severe condition. World leaders condemned the strikes, including EU chief Ursula Von der Leyen, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and US President Donald Trump.

 

Very unsettling news from Kashmir. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, "The United States stands strong with India against terrorism." Putin offered "sincere sympathies" for the fallout from a "brutal crime," while von der Leyen referred to the killings in Kashmir as a "vile terrorist attack." Following the attack, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated the attackers would "be brought to justice" and canceled his trip to Saudi Arabia. In a statement posted on X, Modi said, "Our determination to battle terrorism is unwavering and it will get even stronger." Pakistan's foreign ministry stated it was "concerned at the loss of tourists' lives" and hoped "the injured a speedy recovery" in addition to offering condolences to the victims. The strike on Tuesday is unique because, throughout the three and a half decades of conflict, tourists have rarely been the target of such a large-scale attack.

 

In order to conduct an urgent security meeting, Home Minister Amit Shah traveled to Srinagar, the biggest city in Kashmir, on Tuesday. Manoj Sinha, the lieutenant governor of the area, reported that police and the army had been sent to the spot. The attack has not been attributed to any group. Although violence has decreased recently, the Muslim-majority region has been experiencing an insurgency since 1989. Three miles (5 km) from Pahalgam, in the mountaintop meadow of Baisaran, the attack occurred. 

 

A Gujarati visitor who was among the party that was shot at claimed that after the unexpected attack, everyone began to run, scream, and yell. Indian media agencies have released video footage that seems to show Indian forces rushing to the attack site, while other footage shows victims claiming that the gunman had picked out non-Muslims. Social media footage purporting to show bodies laying on a meadow with people sobbing and begging for assistance has not been confirmed . According to police, several tourists were hospitalized after suffering gunshot wounds. Soldiers are halting cars at checkpoints and have roped off the area.

 

The Indian army and the police of Jammu and Kashmir are conducting a joint search. According to Indian media, a number of protests have been planned for Wednesday. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the region's armed separatist insurgency against Indian sovereignty throughout the 1990s, including members of the security forces and civilian population. After India gained independence from Britain, the Himalayan region was split up, and Pakistan was established in 1947. In the decades since, the two nuclear-armed nations have fought two wars and a small-scale struggle over the territory, which they both claim in its entirety.

 

There are over 500,000 Indian soldiers stationed there permanently. Even if there are still violent instances, the government says that after Modi abolished Kashmir's limited autonomy in 2019, the security situation has improved and violence has decreased. The last significant attack on civilians happened in June 2024 when militants opened fire on a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims, killing nine and injuring thirty-three. At least 46 soldiers were killed in a suicide attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in 2019, which also sparked Indian airstrikes on targets in Pakistan.

 

Pahalgam is a well-liked travel destination both domestically and abroad, and the government has made an effort in recent years to promote more travel to the area. According to government data, approximately 3.5 million tourists traveled to Kashmir in 2024.