At least 26 civilians, including tourists, were killed in a terror assault in Pahalgam, in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday. This is the deadliest event to strike the Valley since the Pulwama attack in 2019. A group of tourists had traveled to Baisaran, a meadow that is only accessible by foot or pony, on Tuesday morning. This is where the assault took place.
Although an official announcement confirming the attack’s guilt is still pending, the Resistance Front, a shadow organization of the outlawed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group located in Pakistan, claimed responsibility.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, “Those who are responsible for this heinous act will be brought to justice and will not be spared.” PM Modi arrived in India this morning after shortened his holiday in Saudi Arabia. He also presided over a critical meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval at the Delhi Airport.
World leaders, including US President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, condemned the Pahalgam event and expressed solidarity with India. The following helpline numbers have also been made public by officials: Police Control Room, Anantnag, 24/7 Tourist Help Desk 9596777669, 01932-225870, WhatsApp: 9419051940; Jammu and Kashmir Tourist Department: 8899931010, 8899941010, 9906663868, 9906906115; Emergency Control Room-Srinagar: 0194-2457543, 0194-2483651; 7006058623.