Pahalgam Terror Attack (2025)

The Pahalgam Terror Attack refers to an armed assault that took place on April 22, 2025, in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam town, located in the Anantnag district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

_{A view from the site of the attack, April 22, 2025 (}NDTV₎

The attack occurred on April 22, 2025, in the Baisaran meadow, situated in the upper areas of Pahalgam town in the Anantnag district of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, located in northern India. The site of the incident is a mountainous, vehicle-inaccessible area that can only be reached on foot or horseback. According to security sources, armed individuals opened fire at close range on a group of tourists gathered in the meadow. Following the attack, military, police, and medical teams were dispatched to the area.

Authorities have reported that 26 people were killed and more than a dozen others were injured in the attack. Among the deceased were Indian nationals as well as a Nepali citizen. The injured were transferred to hospitals in Anantnag and Srinagar. Horses and stretchers were used to transport the wounded out of the valley.

According to eyewitnesses, the assailants entered tents and opened fire, specifically targeting certain individuals. A member of a family from the city of Pune stated that while they were hiding inside a tent, the attackers interrogated them and then shot some of their relatives.

A group calling itself “The Resistance Front” claimed responsibility for the attack via social media. In its statement, the group referenced the demographic structure of the region. The authenticity of this claim has not been independently verified. Following the incident, Indian security forces launched operations in the area. Units of the Indian Army conducted search-and-sweep operations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a statement on social media following the attack and convened a security meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah. The Home Minister met with senior security officials at the scene. During his visit to India, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance shared a message of condolence. U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call with the Indian Prime Minister after the attack. Officials from Russia, Ukraine, Iran, Israel, Italy, France, and the United Arab Emirates also issued statements regarding the incident.

Protests were held in Srinagar following the attack. Demonstrators carried candles, banners, and chanted slogans. Airlines organized additional flights to facilitate the evacuation of tourists from the region.