Trump extends 'deepest sympathies' after gunmen kill 20 in India's Kashmir region

President Donald Trump extended his “deepest sympathies” on Tuesday after gunmen reportedly killed at least 20 people in India’s Kashmir region. 

Trump expressed solidarity with India in the wake of troubling news from Kashmir, calling for support against terrorism. He conveyed prayers for the deceased and the recovery of the injured, extending support and sympathies to Prime Minister Modi and the people of India.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump had been briefed by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz on the matter. 

Leavitt announced Trump’s intention to speak with Prime Minister Modi promptly to offer condolences for the lives lost, highlighting the nation’s support for India in the face of terrorism. He emphasized the ongoing commitment to global peace and stability in light of such alarming incidents.

The country’s police also described the incident as a “terror attack” and blamed militants fighting against Indian rule. 

Omar Abdullah, a prominent political figure in the region, underscored the severity of the attack in Kashmir, labeling it as a significant tragedy surpassing recent civilian-targeted violence.

Indian armored vehicles

Indian security officers patrol in armored vehicles near Pahalgam in south Kashmir after assailants indiscriminately opened fired at tourists in Pahalgam, in Indian-controlled Kashmir, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.  (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)

Two senior police officers said at least four gunmen, whom they described as militants, fired at dozens of tourists from close range, according to the Associated Press. The officers said at least three dozen others were injured, many in serious condition.

Most of the tourists killed were Indian, the officers reportedly told the AP on condition of anonymity, in keeping with departmental policy. 

Officials collected at least 20 bodies in Baisaran meadow, some three miles from the disputed region’s resort town of Pahalgam. 

The meadow in Pahalgam is a popular destination, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and dotted with pine forests. It is visited by hundreds of tourists every day as Kashmir, known for Himalayan foothills and exquisitely decorated houseboats, has become a major domestic tourist destination. It has drawn millions of visitors who enjoy a strange peace kept by ubiquitous security checkpoints, armored vehicles and patrolling soldiers.

Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Police and soldiers were searching for the attackers.

“We will come down heavily on the perpetrators with the harshest consequences,” India’s home minister, Amit Shah, wrote on social media. He arrived in Srinagar, the main city in Indian-controlled Kashmir, and convened a meeting with top security officials. He said Modi, on an official visit in Saudi Arabia, has been briefed.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a key resistance politician and Kashmir’s top religious cleric, condemned what he described as a “cowardly attack on tourists,” writing on social media that “such violence is unacceptable and against the ethos of Kashmir which welcomes visitors with love and warmth.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

You May Also Like
Active shooter, wildfire situation unfolding in Idaho after firefighters ambushed in deadly incident

Man found dead with gun near site where Idaho firefighters were attacked in a surprise ambush

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A man who had…
Watch: Angry Chuck Todd Chews Schumer Out Over Biden Cognitive Cover-Up: ‘You’re Part of the Problem!’

Chuck Schumer Delays Vote on Important Bill Using Childish Strategies at Schoolyard

Chuck Schumer, to put it kindly, is not. But the senator who…
GOP rebel Thom Tillis rampages against Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' after withdrawing from re-election

Thom Tillis, GOP dissenter, criticizes Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ after opting out of re-election

Thom Tillis is strongly criticizing Donald Trump’s proposed ‘big, beautiful bill’ while…
Dave Parker death: Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder known as 'the Cobra,' dies at 74 after Parkinson's disease: Pittsburgh Pirates

Baseball Hall of Famer ‘the Cobra,’ Dave Parker, passes away at 74 after battle with Parkinson’s disease

PITTSBURGH — Dave Parker, a hard-hitting outfielder who was set to be…
Celebrity guests leave Venice following Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s $50M wedding

Famous visitors depart Venice after Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s $50 million wedding

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez recently wrapped up their wedding weekend in…
In Simple, Stark Terms, Trump Lays Out Why the SCOTUS Ruling on Universal Injunctions Was So Critical

Trump Explains Why SCOTUS’s Decision on Universal Injunctions Was Extremely Important in Basic Words

While President Donald Trump may not have a legal background, he has…
Legendary Hall of Fame horse trainer and face of the sport dead at 89 after being rushed to hospital

Renowned horse trainer and icon of the sport passes away at 89, following a sudden hospitalization

D. Wayne Lukas, a legendary figure who achieved great success as a…
How Katy Perry hinted at Orlando Bloom split in heartbreaking song about BETRAYAL on new album

Katy Perry subtly suggested trouble in her relationship with Orlando Bloom in a poignant song on her latest album discussing betrayal.

Fans of Katy Perry believe that the pop star may have hinted…
CNN's Scott Jennings rips liberal apart by using her own words against her

Scott Jennings from CNN criticizes a liberal by using her own words against her

CNN’s Scott Jennings ripped a liberal apart by using her own words…
Trump Sheds No Tears Over Thom Tillis' Retirement, Issues Warning for Other Would-Be Defectors

Trump shows no sadness about Thom Tillis stepping down and warns other potential defectors

“Great News!” the president wrote: Donald J. Trump Truth Social 06.29.25 05:19…
Terror attack: FBI investigating attack in Boulder, Colorado as 'act of terror' | LIVE UPDATE

Chicago Crime Update: Man fatally stabbed at Navy Pier, suspect critically injured near East Grand Avenue, according to police sources

CHICAGO (WLS) — A man was killed in a stabbing Sunday at…
The party's finally over! Newlyweds Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez depart their Venice hotel as they wave goodbye to A-list guests after three-day wedding extravaganza

Newlyweds Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez bid farewell to guests after their three-day wedding celebration in Venice

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez departed from their Venice hotel after their…