India launches manhunt for gunmen behind Kashmir massacre of 26
The incident is being described as the deadliest attack on civilians in Kashmir since the year 2000.
KATHMANDU: A day after gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists in Kashmir, killing at least 26 people, Indian security forces on Wednesday launched a massive search operation in the region.
The incident is being described as the deadliest attack on civilians in Kashmir since the year 2000.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi strongly condemned the “heinous act” and vowed to bring the attackers to justice. Modi, who cut short his state visit to Saudi Arabia in response to the incident, met top security officials immediately upon his return, according to a government source.
Although no official death toll has been released, security sources told AFP that the gunmen emerged from a nearby forest and opened fire with automatic weapons on a crowd at a popular tourist site on Tuesday afternoon, triggering panic and chaos.
Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described the attack as “far more severe than any assault on civilians in recent years.”
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
However, armed insurgency has persisted in the Muslim-majority region since 1989, with militant groups demanding either independence from India or union with Pakistan.
The Kashmir region remains a flashpoint between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan, both of which claim the territory in full but control different parts.
