At least 26 killed in attack on tourists in India’s Kashmir region

At least 26 people were killed and several others injured when armed militants opened fire on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir, in what Indian officials are calling one of the deadliest terror attacks in the region in recent years.

According to NDTV, the gunmen emerged from a forested area around 3 p.m. local time and began firing indiscriminately at civilians gathered in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination. Among the dead are a naval officer and an officer from India’s Intelligence Bureau.

Indian authorities have launched a large-scale anti-terror operation to locate and neutralize the attackers. The official death toll has not yet been released, but the figure of 26 was widely reported by local media, citing authorities. The number of injured remains unclear.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was visiting Saudi Arabia at the time of the attack, canceled his scheduled engagements and is returning to India ahead of plan.

“Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice… their evil agenda will never succeed,” Modi said in a social media post. “Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger.”

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called the attacks “inhuman” and stated, “This attack on our visitors is an abomination… No words of condemnation are enough.” Abdullah added that the scope of the attack was “much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years.”

U.S. President Donald Trump said the news out of Kashmir were “deeply disturbing” and adding that “The United States stands strong with India against terrorism. Our hearts are with you all.”

A statement released on social media and attributed to The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility for the attack. According to Mint, the group accused the Indian government of issuing more than 85,000 domicile certificates to non-locals, which it characterized as a demographic threat.

“These non-locals arrive posing as tourists, obtain domiciles, and then begin to act as if they own the land,” the statement read. “Consequently, violence will be directed toward those attempting to settle illegally.”

TRF, formed in 2019, is regarded by Indian authorities as a proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—a Pakistan-based militant group.

Jammu and Kashmir is a region in northern India located in the Himalayan mountains. The region has been a longstanding flashpoint between India and Pakistan, both of which claim it in full but control different portions.