SRINAGAR, India – At least 20 people were feared killed after suspected militants opened fire on tourists in India’s Jammu and Kashmir territory on Tuesday, three security sources said, the worst attack on civilians in the troubled Himalayan region for years.
The attack occurred in Pahalgam, a popular destination in the scenic, mountainous region where mass tourism, especially during the summer months, has resurged as Islamist militant violence has eased in recent years.
One security source put the death toll at 20, while the second put it at 24 and the third at 26. All three spoke on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media.
“The firing happened in front of us,” one witness told broadcaster India Today, without giving his name. “We thought someone was setting off firecrackers, but when we heard other people (screaming), we quickly got out of there…, saved our lives and ran.”
“For four kilometers, we did not stop … I am shaking,” another witness told India Today.
REUTERS
