Attack Leaves at Least 28 Tourists Dead in Kashmir
A victim of the attack in Kashmir, April 22, 2025. X/ @le_Parisien
April 23, 2025 Hour: 6:09 am
The insurgents approached them and opened fire at point-blank range.
On Tuesday, gunmen attacked a group of tourists in Kashmir, leaving at least 28 dead and dozens injured. The incident occurred in the Anantnag district, near Pahalgam, in India.
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This event has been described as the worst attack on civilians in recent years in Kashmir, a territory located between China, Pakistan, and India.
During Tuesday’s attack, suspected insurgents approached the tourists who were in the meadow near Pahalgam and opened fire at point-blank range. Witnesses reported that the attackers specifically questioned some of the victims about their religious identity, stating they were not Muslim before opening fire.
“Their evil plan will never succeed. Our determination to fight terrorism is unwavering and will only grow stronger,” said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who condemned the attack as an “atrocious act” and vowed to bring the attackers to justice.
The tragic event took place while U.S. Vice President JD Vance, his wife, and children were on a four-day visit to India.
“Prime Minister Modi and the great people of India have our full support and deepest sympathy. Usha and I extend our condolences to the victims of the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they grieve this horrific attack,” he said.
This attack recalls a similar tragedy that occurred 25 years ago, when a deadly assault in the same region overshadowed the visit of then-U.S. President Bill Clinton.
In March 2000, just before Clinton’s arrival in India, insurgents massacred 36 villagers from the Sikh religious minority in Chittisinghpura, a village in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. The timing of the Chittisinghpura massacre cast a shadow over Clinton’s visit, just as the recent attack in the same Anantnag district coincided with Vice President Vance’s trip.
On Wednesday, several regional newspapers printed their front pages in black to protest the terrorist attack against the tourists. The territory of Jammu and Kashmir, in northern India, has been subject to a prolonged conflict between New Delhi and Islamabad.
Both countries claim sovereignty over the region, which has witnessed an armed insurgency against Indian rule for decades, often involving separatist groups seeking independence or unification with Pakistan.
In recent years, the Indian government has actively attempted to portray Kashmir as a safe and attractive destination for tourists in order to revitalize the local economy and project an image of normalcy.
teleSUR/ JF
Sources: Le Parisien – EFE
