Pahalgam, Kashmir: In a brutal act of terrorism, at least six militants — including two local Kashmiris trained in Pakistan — opened indiscriminate fire on tourists with AK-47 rifles in Pahalgam on Tuesday afternoon, The Print reported. The attackers, divided into two groups, targeted civilians in what is being described as one of the deadliest assaults in the Kashmir Valley in recent years.
According to security sources cited by The Print, the two locals involved had reportedly travelled to Pakistan for terror training in 2017 and later infiltrated back into the region with the latest batch of foreign militants.
The attack took place in Baisaran Valley, a scenic destination popular among tourists, where hundreds ride on horseback across the meadows daily. The ambush claimed at least 28 lives and left several others seriously injured.
Eyewitnesses told police that the terrorists demanded to see identification from some of the tourists and appeared to selectively target individuals before opening fire. Notably, there was no presence of security forces in the vicinity at the time of the attack.
The timing of the incident is particularly alarming as it occurred during the ongoing four-day visit of U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance to India.
