Kashmir Tensions Flare After Deadly Tourist Attack

A deadly attack on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir last week has sparked a dangerous escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan.

On Tuesday, gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Indian tourists, in a resort town near Pahalgam. India called it a “terror attack” and accused Pakistan of backing it, a claim Pakistan denies. The assault was claimed by a previously unknown militant group called the Kashmir Resistance, and it’s the worst attack targeting civilians in the region in years.

Since the attack, both countries have taken retaliatory measures. India suspended a major water-sharing treaty, closed its only functional land border crossing with Pakistan, revoked Pakistani visas, and intensified its crackdown in the Kashmir Valley.

Pakistan responded by canceling Indian visas, closing its airspace to Indian airlines, suspending trade with India, and accusing India of suddenly releasing large amounts of water into the Jhelum River, raising fears of flooding in parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

The Line of Control, which divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan, has seen increased military activity. On Friday night, Indian troops demolished the family homes of suspected militants in southern Kashmir, while Pakistani soldiers fired at Indian posts along the border for a second consecutive night. The incidents haven’t been independently verified, and both sides have accused each other of starting border skirmishes in the past.

The international community is watching the situation closely. Iran offered to mediate, while U.S. President Donald Trump said he expected India and Pakistan to work out their differences.

The situation remains tense, with no sign of a de-escalation. The long-standing dispute over Kashmir is a major source of conflict between India and Pakistan, and the recent violence has raised fears of a wider conflict.