Kashmir Attack: A Grim Reminder of Lingering Tensions

Twenty-six people were killed and 17 injured in a militant attack on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam area, marking the worst attack in nearly two decades. The incident has disrupted tourism, leading to shutdowns and flight evacuations, as officials scramble to address the security crisis.

Twenty-six individuals lost their lives and 17 more were injured when suspected militants attacked tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, marking the deadliest assault the region has seen in nearly two decades, police reported.

This brutal attack, which claimed the lives of 25 Indians and one Nepalese, has shattered the fragile peace in Kashmir, a region where tourism had seen significant growth following the decline of an anti-India insurgency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hurried back to New Delhi, cutting short an overseas trip, to convene emergency meetings with senior officials.

The assault, claimed by a group called the 'Kashmir Resistance,' has prompted a shutdown by local organizations and a rush by tourists to evacuate, putting a spotlight on the intertwined issues of security and demographics in the region, as tensions between India and Pakistan continue to simmer.

(With inputs from agencies.)