Gunmen Kill Seven in Indian-Controlled Kashmir Attack

Police have attributed the assault to militants who have opposed Indian rule in the region for decades, labeling it a “terror attack.” While no group has claimed responsibility, eyewitnesses reported that two armed men fired indiscriminately at the workers and officials upon their return to the camp.

Initial reports indicated that two individuals were killed instantly, while others were transported to local hospitals, where five additional victims succumbed to their injuries. Among the deceased were five non-local laborers, one Kashmiri worker, and a local doctor.

In response to the violence, police and military reinforcements have been deployed to the area, conducting search operations to apprehend the attackers.

Omar Abdullah, the region's top elected official, condemned the incident as “dastardly and cowardly” in a post on social media. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a prominent Kashmiri resistance leader, expressed deep sorrow over the killings, calling them a “grim reminder of the unending cycle of violence and uncertainty” faced by the region.

The ongoing tunnel project, designed to connect the Kashmir Valley with the isolated cold desert of Ladakh, has attracted hundreds of workers, many from outside the region. Experts highlight its strategic significance, enhancing military capabilities in an area that shares borders with both Pakistan and China, amidst ongoing military tensions.

This attack marks the second incident targeting non-local workers since a new local government was sworn in following the first elections after the revocation of Kashmir’s semi-autonomous status in 2019. Just days earlier, the body of a worker from Bihar was discovered in a maize field in southern Shopian district, also attributed to militant violence.

Kashmir has seen a rise in violence since 2021, particularly against workers from other parts of India. Authorities link these killings to anti-India militants, amidst a long-standing and complex conflict over the territory. Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir in full, having fought multiple wars since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.

The situation remains tense, with the conflict claiming tens of thousands of lives, as many Kashmiris view the militants' actions as part of a struggle for freedom. Meanwhile, India maintains that the insurgency is fueled by Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, a claim that Pakistan disputes.