At least 28 tourists were shot to death by militants at a resort in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir, police said Tuesday, describing the massacre as a “terror attack.” This marks the largest attack against civilians in recent years as armed militants fight against Indian rule over the territory, according to the nation’s top elected official, Omar Abdullah.
“This attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years,” Abdullah said. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by militant group Kashmir Resistance. On social media, they said that they were angry about an “Indian settlement of over 85,000 ‘outsiders’, which it said was driving a ‘demographic change’ in the region,” The Guardian reported.
Authorities said at least four gunmen fired dozens of shots at tourists from close range in Baisaran meadow, which is three miles from the resort town of Pahalgam, at about 3 pm local time. The militants came from the nearby mountains and “emerged from a dense pine forest.”
The majority of the victims were Indian, according to officials. Police said the massacre injured at least three dozen people, and many of the remaining victims are in serious condition, the AP reported. Witnesses who were at the scene spoke to press.
“I saw a few men lying on the ground looking like they were dead,” a man said. A woman said that her “husband was shot in the head while seven others were also injured in the attack.
The suspects have not yet been located, according to Amit Shah, India’s home minister, who wrote on social media: “We will come down heavily on the perpetrators with the harshest consequences.” Furthermore, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack, writing on 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.”
India and Pakistan each administer a portion of Kashmir, but both countries claim the full territory.
The incident occurred while Vice President JD Vance was in India meeting Prime Minister Modi. Vance described the massacre as a “devastating terrorist attack” and wrote in a post on 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.”
President Donald Trump also weighed in on the matter, writing in a post:Â “Deeply disturbing news out of Kashmir. The United States stands strong 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!”
Since 1989, terrorists in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir have been fighting against New Delhi’s rule of law. According to the Associated Press, Muslim residents in Kashmir support the rebels’ desire to unite the region, whether as an independent country or under Pakistani administration. In 2019, India changed the terms, revoking the semi-autonomy of the region.
India claims that the Kashmir conflict is terrorism aided by Pakistan. But Pakistan refutes the claim, and its followers in Kashmir reportedly see the fighting as a struggle for freedom. The conflict has killed tens of thousands of civilians, rebels, and government forces.