April 22 (UPI) -- A group of gunmen shot and killed at least 26 domestic tourists and others and wounded many in the Baisaran Valley tourist town of Pahalgam, Kashmir, on Tuesday.
Several gunmen emerged from the woods, fired into the crowd of tourists and disappeared back into the woods, NDTV World reported.
The Pakistan-based Resistance Front, which is a subset of Lashkar-e-Taiba terror organization, claimed responsibility for the attack, but that claim has not been confirmed by government sources, according to an NDTV World update and The Hindu.
The victims mostly are domestic tourists who were visiting the popular destination near the Himalaya Mountains that commonly is referred to as the "Switzerland of India," the BBC reported.
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The attack occurred in a meadow that is accessible only on foot or by pony. Helicopters were used to remove the dead and wounded.
Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi said the gunmen will face justice for what he called a terror attack.
"Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice," Modi said Tuesday in a prepared statement.
"They will not be spared!" Modi continued. "Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable, and it will get even stronger."
Modi had traveled to Saudi Arabia for a two-day visit on Tuesday but returned to India upon hearing the news of the attack.
India's defense minister and the leader of one of its largest political parties called the attack an "act of cowardice."
"Deeply anguished by the news of [the] terrorist attack in Pahalgam (Jammu & Kashmir)," Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said in a post on X.
"This dastardly attack on innocent civilians is an act of cowardice and highly reprehensible," Singh added. "My thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families."
Indian National Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi in an X post said, "Resorting to violence is an act of cowardice and needs to be condemned in no uncertain terms."
President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin also condemned the attack.
"Deeply disturbing news out of Kashmir," Trump said in a Truth Social post. "The United States stands strong with India against terrorism. We pray for the souls of those lost, and for the recovery of the injured."
"Prime Minister Modi, and the incredible people of India, have our full support and deepest sympathies," Trump added. "Our hearts are with you all!"
Putin called the attack a "brutal crime" while expressing his support for the Indian people.
"Sincere condolences over the tragic consequences of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, whose victims were civilians -- citizens of various countries," Putin said as reported by The Hindu.
"Please convey words of sincere sympathy and support to the near and dear ones of the deceased as well as wishes for a speedy recovery of all the injured."
The attack is the deadliest in the Baisaran Valley since a 2019 attack in Pulwama, The Hindu reported.
Another attack in June 2024 killed eight Hindu pilgrims and injured 33 others in an attack on a Jammu and Kashmir bus.
Jammu and Kashmir is a contested region located between Pakistan and India and is administered by India, which also has military troops in the region.
