At least 26 killed in attack on tourists in India's Kashmir
At least 26 people were killed when a group of suspected extremists opened fire on tourists in the volatile Indian region of Kashmir, according to officials.
Indian Interior Minister Amit Shah described the attack as a "dastardly act of terror," without providing information on the perpetrators.
The attackers opened fire in a popular tourist area near the town of Pahalgam, killing 26 people, according to reports by Indian broadcaster NDTV and the newspaper Greater Kashmir, citing officials.
Most of the fatalities were tourists. Several people were also injured. There was initially no official confirmation of the death toll.
Security forces assumed that it was a targeted attack on visitors. According to the newspaper The Hindu, two foreign visitors from Italy and Israel were among the fatalities.
Claim of responsibility
According to Greater Kashmir newspaper online, a group calling itself The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility for the attack. This is a splinter group of the banned militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Lashkar-e-Taiba is responsible for a series of attacks in the Indian economic metropolis of Mumbai in November 2008. At that time, 175 people were killed, including 26 foreigners and nine of the extremists.
Expressing his shock in a post on X, Omar Abdullah, chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, condemned the attack on tourists as "an abomination."
Solidarity from the EU and the United States
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attack.
"The vile terror attack in Pahalgam today stole so many innocent lives," she wrote on X. "My deepest condolences to @narendramodi and every Indian heart grieving today."
"Yet I know that India's spirit is unbreakable. You will stand strong in this ordeal," she added. "And Europe will stand with you."
US President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social Platform: "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," Trump added.
The attack came while US Vice President JD Vance is visiting India for trade talks.
Kashmir is a contested region spanning India, Pakistan and China.
Extremist groups have been active in the Indian-administered part for years challenging the country's sovereignty over the region.
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