Pahalgam Terror Attack Leaves 27 Dead; Lashkar Offshoot Claims Responsibility
"We will leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to justice," said PM Modi
Pahalgam Terror Attack Latest News, Jammu Kashmir Death Toll: At least 27 people, including foreign tourists, were killed and many more injured on Tuesday when gunmen opened fire on a group of visitors in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility, according to senior intelligence officials.
Witnesses said two to three attackers in military fatigues stormed the Baisaran Meadows at around 1:00 p.m., firing indiscriminately at horseback riders, among them women and the elderly. “They came in swiftly, directed sustained fire at the tourists, and fled into the forest,” one survivor told security forces.
Security personnel launched a large-scale anti-terror operation immediately, cordoning off the area and searching nearby woods for the assailants. Video footage from the scene showed victims lying wounded and bloodied, while relatives desperately searched for missing family members.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the attack as an “abomination,” noting that the final casualty figures are still being confirmed. “This is by far the largest strike on civilians we have seen in recent years,” he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently in Saudi Arabia, spoke by telephone with Home Minister Amit Shah to review the situation. Mr. Shah has cut short his schedule and is en route to Srinagar tonight to oversee relief and security arrangements.
In a public statement, Mr. Modi said: “I strongly condemn this terror attack in Pahalgam. My condolences to those who have lost loved ones, and my prayers are with the injured for a swift recovery. We will leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to justice.”
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