At least 27 people were killed in the attack in Pahalgam Valley, a popular tourist destination in Jammu and Kashmir, mostly domestic pilgrims and tourists, according to Indian police.
According to RT, the armed group calling itself The Resistance Front (TRF), accused of being linked to the Pakistan-based terrorist organization Lashkar-e- Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The gunmen are believed to have checked the victim's identification documents and questioned the victim's religion before killing them at close range.
The people behind this terrible act will not get away with justice... They will not be forgiven, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly declared on platform X (old social media). Mr. Modi is on a tour in Saudi Arabia but has decided to shorten his schedule to return home.
India's Home Secretary Amit Shah called it a "cruel terrorist act" and pledged to "ersuff the roots of extremistism". Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Omar Abdullah called the attackers "inhumane and despicable".
The incident occurred right at the peak of the tourist season in Pahalgam. This place is famous for its majestic scenery and is a stop on the Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage of the Hindu people.
Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a message of condolences to the Indian government and condemned the attack: "This brutal crime has no excuse. We support India in the fight against terrorism in all forms.
US President Donald Trump called the shelling in Kashmir extremely worrying and affirmed that the US stands side by side with India in the fight against terrorism. We pray for the victims and express our deep sympathy to Prime Minister Modi and the people of India, Trump wrote on Truth Social, and called out condolences to the Indian Prime Minister, according to the countrys Foreign Ministry.
US Vice President JD Vance, who is currently visiting India with his family, also posted on X: "I would like to express my condolences and prayers to those who are suffering the loss of the brutal attack".
The attack also received condemnation and condolences from other countries including Ukraine, Israel, Iran, France, Italy and the UAE.
The context of prolonged tensions in Kashmir continues to add oil to the hostile fire between India and Pakistan, two countries that possess nuclear weapons and have had a persistent territorial dispute since 2020.
Observers are concerned that after many years of relatively peace, Kashmir is entering a new cycle of instability, as the wave of terrorism and extremeism shows signs of a strong rise. And this time, the victims are innocent people searching for peace in nature.
Pahalgam - an important stop on the Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage - was the target of previous attacks. During the peak season from March to August every year, thousands of tourists flock to this area. The most recent major attack in June last year killed nine people and injured 33.
