At least 26 tourists killed after gunmen open fire at Kashmir resort in ‘devastating’ terror attack: officials

More than two dozen people were killed when four gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists at a popular resort town in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Tuesday — in what officials said was a “terror attack” by anti-India rebels. 

The deadly attack, which coincided with US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to the region, unfolded around 3 p.m. local time when the shooters, described as militants, unleashed gunfire at dozens of tourists at close range at Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam, according to senior police officers. 

At least 26 people were killed and more than three dozen others were injured, many of whom are in critical condition, police said. 

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“I’m shocked beyond belief,” Omar Abdullah, the region’s top elected official, wrote on social media. 

“This attack on our visitors is an abomination. The perpetrators of this attack are animals, inhuman & worthy of contempt. No words of condemnation are enough. I send my sympathies to the families of the deceased.”

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Abdulla said the death toll is still being assessed, while noting the fatal attack is “much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years.”

Officials recovered at least 24 bodies in Baisaran meadows, located about three miles from Pahalgam, a tourist hotspot, with two others perishing while being transported for medical treatment. 

Most of the tourists killed were Indian, according to police, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. 

No group has claimed responsibility for the incident, which remains under investigation as police and soldiers search for the attackers. 

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“Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice…they will not be spared!” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted to X. 

“Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger.”

The Himalayan region of Kashmir has been the subject of territorial conflict between nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan for decades, with both countries claiming full ownership despite each only controlling a portion of the territory.

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Kashmir Valley, the heart of the anti-India rebellion, has seen a spate of targeted killing of Hindus, including immigrant workers from Indian states, after New Delhi ended the region’s semi-autonomy in 2019 and drastically curbed dissent, civil liberties and media freedoms. 

Tourists have been largely spared from violence amid underlying conflict as India intensified its counterinsurgency operations. Fighting between government forces and rebels has shifted to the Jammu region’s remote areas where Indian troops have faced deadly attacks. 

The ongoing conflict, however, has not deterred millions of tourists from flocking to Baisaran Valley, a heavily patrolled area surrounded by snow-capped mountains and picturesque meadows that is often described as the “Switzerland of India.”

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President Trump has pledged his full support to India following Tuesday’s mass killing. 

“Deeply disturbing news out of Kashmir. The United States stands strong with India against Terrorism,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“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!”

Vance, who is on a four-day visit to India with his family, also took to social media to share his sympathies. 

“Usha and I extend our condolences to the victims of the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India,” he wrote 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.”

With Post wires