At least 26 people have been killed and a dozen injured in a suspected terror attack in the disputed Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir, authorities said Tuesday.

The attack, described by the region’s chief minister Omar Abdullah as “much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years,” took place in a popular tourist destination in Pahalgam, in the mountainous Anantnag district.

A group of tourists were fired on by suspected militants and the injured were taken to the district’s main hospital for treatment, authorities said. Most of the 26 people killed are understood to be tourists.

It is not yet clear whether foreign nationals are among the casualties, V K Birdi, inspector general of police in Kashmir, told CNN.

The attack took place in the Baisaran Valley, which is only accessible by foot or on horseback.

One eyewitness told the Indian news agency PTI that unidentified gunmen opened fire on the tourists from close range.

“My husband was shot in the head while seven others were also injured in the attack,” one woman survivor said, according to PTI.

The Indian Army corps responsible for military operations in the area said a search operation was underway to bring “the attackers to justice.”

India’s home minister Amit Shah arrived in the region on Tuesday and chaired a high-level security meeting, his office said. Meanwhile the Private Schools’ Association of Jammu and Kashmir announced that all private schools would remain shut Wednesday.

A restive region

The picturesque Himalayan region, which is administered in part by India and Pakistan, is often afflicted by violence – but tourist-targeted attacks are rare.

For more than two decades, several domestic militant groups, demanding either independence for Kashmir or for the area to become part of Pakistan, have fought Indian security forces, with tens of thousands of people killed in the violence.

Violence surged in 2018, and the Indian government took greater control of the region in 2019 amid a heavy military presence and a monthslong communications blackout.

While the Indian government has said that militancy has since been reduced, attacks continue to plague the region.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack and sent his condolences to those who had been affected in a statement posted to X.

“Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice… they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger,” he said.

US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance – who is visiting India with his family – also condemned the attack, with Trump calling it “deeply disturbing” and expressing US solidarity with India against terrorism.

“We pray for the souls of those lost, and for the recovery of the injured. Prime Minister Modi, and the incredible people of India, have our full support and deepest sympathies. Our hearts are with you all,” the president posted to Truth Social.

Trump later called Modi to convey his condolences, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

Vance posted to X: “Over the past few days, we have been overcome with the beauty of this country and its people. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they mourn this horrific attack.”

The attack also drew condemnation and condolences from countries including Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Iran, France, Italy and the UAE.

On Tuesday, a regional spokesperson from India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused Pakistan of fueling terrorism in the region and called the attack an “outcome of Pakistan’s frustration.”

“Pakistan and its proxies are unable to digest the return of peace and tourism in Jammu and Kashmir. They want to stifle growth and plunge the region back into fear. But we won’t allow that to happen,” Altaf Thakur said.

Pakistan’s defense minister Khawaja Asif denied any link to the attack.

“We have nothing to do with this, and we do not support terrorism anywhere,” he said in a TV interview with a Pakistani news outlet.

Pahalgam lies on a major pilgrimage route, known as the Amarnath Yatra, which takes place every year and has been exposed to previous attacks.

Thousands of tourists flock to Kashmir during its peak season each year, which runs from March to August.

The last major tourist attack in the region took place in June, when at least nine people were killed and 33 others were injured after a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims plunged into a gorge after suspected militants fired on the vehicle.

Source: CNN
--Agencies