What We Know About the Kashmir Tourist Shooting That Killed 26

A deadly shooting in the disputed region of Indian-administered Kashmir left 26 people dead and at least 17 injured, marking one of the most violent assaults on civilians in the region in recent memory. The attack happened on Tuesday, April 22, in Baisaran meadow, a picturesque area located roughly five kilometers from the popular tourist town of Pahalgam.

According to Indian police, four armed men opened fire at close range on a group of tourists enjoying the natural landscape. All those killed were men, including 25 Indian nationals and one from Nepal, authorities confirmed. The wounded, many of whom suffered gunshot injuries, were rushed to nearby hospitals for emergency care.

A tour guide who arrived shortly after the incident described a chilling scene. “I saw several men lying dead on the ground,” said Waheed, who provided only his first name. He helped carry some of the injured away on horseback. Another eyewitness told AFP the attackers appeared to deliberately spare women.

“This attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years,” posted Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on social media.

The Group Behind the Attack

A little-known militant group calling itself Kashmir Resistance has claimed responsibility for the assault via a social media post. The group cited anger over what it called a “demographic change” in the region, pointing specifically to the settlement of over 85,000 “outsiders” in Kashmir.

Indian security agencies allege Kashmir Resistance is a front for established Pakistan-based militant groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen, both of which have long been accused of carrying out attacks in the region. Pakistan, for its part, denies involvement, claiming it provides only “moral and diplomatic support” to the Kashmiri cause.

A Rare But Devastating Strike

While violent incidents between militants and Indian security forces are not uncommon in Kashmir, attacks specifically targeting tourists are rare. The last major assault of this kind occurred in June, when fighters targeted a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims, resulting in nine deaths.

The nature and scale of the Pahalgam attack have reignited fears of escalating unrest. Indian analyst C Uday Bhaskar told Al Jazeera the attackers likely had dual motives: “to draw global attention to the issue of Kashmir” and to “deepen military tensions between India and Pakistan.” He added, “Given that the attack has made headlines across the world, [this] is indicative of the fact that the first box has been ticked.”

Political and Global Reactions

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the shooting a “heinous act” and vowed justice. Cutting short an official visit to Saudi Arabia, Modi said the perpetrators “will be brought to justice.”

“Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice…they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger,” the President wrote on X.

India’s Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, traveled to Srinagar to assess the situation. In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter), he declared: “We will come down heavily on the perpetrators with the harshest consequences.”

The violence has drawn international condemnation as well. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “strongly condemned” the attack through his spokesperson, emphasizing that “attacks against civilians are unacceptable under any circumstances.”

U.S. President Donald Trump also reacted swiftly. “Deeply disturbing news out of Kashmir,” he posted on social media. “The United States stands strong with India against Terrorism.”

Broader Context

The region of Kashmir has been a flashpoint between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed nations, for decades. Each country controls part of the territory but claims it in full. Tensions spiked in 2019 when India’s BJP-led government revoked Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status, splitting the former state into two federally governed territories.

Since then, the region has been under intense military surveillance, with ongoing clashes between Indian forces and rebel groups. Earlier this month, six people—including four security officers—died in a clash between the army and suspected militants in Kashmir.

In a separate event, Indian forces reportedly killed two gunmen in Baramulla district on Wednesday during what they described as an “infiltration bid” from Pakistan.