Gunmen opened fire on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, killing at least five, with more feared dead. Authorities labeled it a "terror attack." The region has been a site of conflict since 1989, with rebels seeking independence or merger with Pakistan. Kashmir's tourism has grown since the revocation of its autonomy in 2019.

A number of tourists were killed at a holiday spot in Indian-administered Kashmir after gunmen opened fire on Tuesday.

Indian authorities, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have called the shooting a "terror attack." Initial reports indicate that the gunmen sprayed bullets at a group of mostly Indian tourists visiting Baisaran Meadow, located about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the resort town of Pahalgam in the disputed region.

At least five people have been confirmed dead, and more than 20 are feared to have died, according to media reports from India.

Kashmir's Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, described the attack as "much larger than anything we've seen directed at civilians in recent years," with the exact death toll still being verified. "This attack on our visitors is an abomination," he said in a statement. "The perpetrators of this attack are animals, inhuman, and worthy of contempt."

The region's governor, Manoj Sinha, condemned the "cowardly terror attack on tourists" in a post on social media platform X. He added, "I assure the people that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished."

Prime Minister Modi echoed a similar sentiment, vowing that those responsible for the attack would be brought to justice. "Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice... they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable, and it will get even stronger," he wrote on X.

Since 1989, anti-Indian rebels in the Muslim-majority region have waged an insurgency, seeking either independence or a merger with Pakistan. Islamabad administers a smaller portion of Kashmir and, like India, claims the region in its entirety.

India maintains that the Kashmir insurgency is Pakistan-sponsored, though Pakistan denies this, asserting that it only supports the region's aspirations for self-determination. The ongoing conflict has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians, rebels, and government forces.

India has an estimated 500,000 soldiers permanently stationed in the region. Following the Modi government’s decision to revoke Kashmir’s limited autonomy in 2019, fighting has decreased, but tensions remain.

Since then, the Indian authorities have heavily promoted Kashmir as a holiday destination, particularly for skiing in the winter and as an escape from the intense summer heat. Official figures indicate that approximately 3.5 million tourists visited Kashmir in 2024, the majority of whom were domestic visitors.