India-Pakistan tensions rise after deadly Kashmir attack; China calls for calm

India retaliated to Pakistan's "unprovoked" firing after a Kashmir attack killed 26. Tensions rose as India suspended a water treaty and Pakistan shut airspace. The Resistance Front denied involvement after claiming it.

India said on Monday it had retaliated against "unprovoked" small arms fire from Pakistan along the Kashmir border, the fourth straight night of such exchanges. This follows a deadly April 22 attack on tourists in Kashmir that killed 26 people, with India identifying two suspects as Pakistanis, an accusation Islamabad denies, calling for an independent probe.

Survivors said the attackers separated men by name at a meadow in Pahalgam, targeting Hindus before shooting them at close range. The attack triggered outrage in India, with calls for action against Pakistan, whom India accuses of supporting terrorism in Kashmir.

In response, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty cooperation, while Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian flights. China has urged both countries to exercise restraint and welcomed efforts to defuse tensions.

The Indian Army reported retaliating to small arms fire from several Pakistani posts late Sunday, with no casualties mentioned. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s army said it killed 54 militants crossing from Afghanistan.

Indian forces have detained about 500 people and searched nearly 1,000 houses and forests in Kashmir since the attack, demolishing nine houses. Political leaders urged caution to avoid harming innocents, with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah noting growing public rejection of militancy.

Separately, The Resistance Front (TRF), initially claiming responsibility for the attack, later denied involvement, blaming a cyberattack for the earlier message.

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