Kathmandu: Shock and anger are mounting after gunmen killed 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir in a brutal attack near the popular tourist town of Pahalgam. According to the BBC, several of the injured remain in critical condition.
The attackers reportedly emerged suddenly from nearby forests and opened fire with automatic weapons on unsuspecting visitors. Among those killed were a groom on his honeymoon and a businessman on vacation.
No official statement has yet confirmed who was behind the massacre, but Indian media reports suggest a group linked to the Pakistan-based terror organization Lashkar-e-Taiba may have claimed responsibility.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short a foreign visit to return to Delhi and hold an emergency meeting with security chiefs. He has vowed that those responsible “will not be spared.”
Kashmir, a region long claimed by both India and Pakistan, has witnessed decades of insurgency against Indian rule, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths. However, attacks specifically targeting tourists are extremely rare.
Authorities have stepped up security measures in the region, and investigations into the attack are underway.
Source: BBC