At least 26 people were killed on Tuesday in Indian-administered Kashmir when gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists, marking the deadliest attack on civilians in the region in 25 years, according to local security officials.
One security official reported that foreigners were among those shot in Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination located about 90 kilometres from Srinagar, the region's main city. However, there has been no official confirmation of this information or the death toll, reported by several Indian media outlets.
The attack has not been claimed by any group, but it occurred in a territory, predominantly populated by Muslims, where a rebellion began in 1989.
The insurgents are demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan, which controls a smaller part of Kashmir and, like India, claims the entire region.
New Delhi regularly accuses Islamabad of supporting the militants, a claim Pakistani authorities deny.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short a trip to Saudi Arabia to return home, condemning the attack as a “heinous act” and vowing that those responsible would be “brought to justice”.
The deadliest attack on civilians in the region prior to this occurred in March 2000, when around 30 Indians were killed on the eve of a visit from US President Bill Clinton.
