A deadly attack targeting tourists in India’s Jammu and Kashmir territory has left at least 20 feared dead, marking the deadliest incident against civilians in the region for years, according to security sources.
At least 20 people were feared killed after suspected militants opened fire on tourists in India’s Jammu and Kashmir territory on Tuesday, according to three security sources, in what is believed to be the worst civilian attack in the troubled Himalayan region in years.
The incident took place in Pahalgam, a popular mountainous destination where tourism has flourished in recent years amid a decline in militant violence. One security source put the death toll at 20, another at 24, and a third at 26. All three spoke on condition of anonymity, lacking official authorisation to brief the media.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as gunfire erupted. “The firing happened in front of us,” one person told India Today, adding, “We thought it was firecrackers, but then we heard people screaming. We ran for four kilometres without stopping.”
According to reports in the Indian Express, the attack was carried out in a meadow off the main road by two or three militants. The identities of the attackers remain unconfirmed, while the nationalities of the victims have yet to be disclosed.
A little-known group calling itself the "Kashmir Resistance" claimed responsibility for the assault in a social media post, linking the attack to concerns over demographic changes in the region following recent domicile grants to non-locals. Reuters has not independently verified the message.
Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah acknowledged the severity of the incident, stating on social media platform X, “This attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack, vowing justice for the victims. “Their evil agenda will never succeed,” he posted on X. Home Minister Amit Shah announced his immediate departure for Kashmir to oversee a security review.
The region has experienced decades of conflict since the outbreak of an anti-India insurgency in 1989, with violence declining notably in recent years. India revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019, dividing it into two federally administered territories and granting domicile rights to thousands of outsiders, a move that sparked political tensions and drew criticism from Pakistan.
Attacks on tourists in the area have become rare. The last major incident occurred in June 2024, when a militant assault led to the deaths of nine Hindu pilgrims and injuries to 33 others after their bus plunged into a gorge.
The latest violence comes a day after U.S. Vice President JD Vance began a four-day personal visit to India, though no official connection between the visit and the attack has been suggested.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Iran and the United States, along with their allies, have a...
U.S. Vice President JD Vance lashed out on Tuesday at what he called "disgraceful" European...
The head of a body representing global airlines said on Wednesday that even if Iran reopened the Stra...
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that...
The third Turkish-owned vessel has departed the Persian Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz, Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said on Monday....
The long-standing rivalry between India and Pakistan over Kashmir reached a dangerous peak in 2025, as missile strikes, drone warfare, and rapid military escalation brought the two nuclear-armed neighbours to the brink of full-scale war.
At least nine people were killed and nearly thirty others injured after confiscated explosives accidentally detonated inside a police station in Nowgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Gunfire broke out during a peace rally in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-administered Kashmir, on Monday, leaving at least one person dead and more than two dozen wounded, officials said. Some of the injured were in critical condition at local hospitals.
Widespread flooding has hit several parts of northern India, officials said, with more thunderstorms forecast for Wednesday as local media reported that 10,000 people were evacuated from the river banks in capital Delhi.
The crew of Artemis II mission are entering a pivotal phase of their journey, as they prepare to swing around the Moon and head back towards Earth. Now on the fifth day of their 10-day mission, the four astronauts are already witnessing views no human has ever seen.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday told reporters that Iran could be taken out in one night, "and that night might be tomorrow night," warning Tehran it had to make a deal by Tuesday night or face wider bombing raids.
A new proposal to end hostilities between the United States and Iran could come into effect as soon as Monday, potentially reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz, a source familiar with the plan said on Monday.
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran's "whole civilisation" on Tuesday in a post on social media. Meanwhile, the UN failed to reach an agreemement on a resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, after China and Russia used their vetoes.
As Hungary approaches a crucial vote, younger citizens who grew up under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán are increasingly backing the opposition, with some saying they may leave if he secures another term.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance lashed out on Tuesday at what he called "disgraceful" European Union interference in Hungary's election, even as he openly endorsed Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a close ally of both President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, days before the vote.
Construction has begun on a major new solar power project in Xizang, as China continues to expand its renewable energy capacity and push towards a greener future.
U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance began a visit to Budapest on Tuesday by praising Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who faces a closely contested parliamentary election on Sunday.
A gunfight with police outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district left at least one attacker dead and two others injured, according to Turkish authorities, prompting a major police response on Tuesday (7 April).
A train driver has died and several passengers have been injured after a high-speed train collided with an army lorry carrying military equipment at a level crossing in northern France on Tuesday morning (7 April), the local prefecture and railway operators said in separate statements.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment