Authorities shut dozens of vacationer resorts in Indian-controlled Kashmir following lethal assault

[ad_1] SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Authorities in Indian-controlled Kashmir have briefly closed greater than half of the vacationer resorts within the scenic Himalayan area after final week’s lethal assault on vacationers raised tensions between India and Pakistan and led to an intensifying safety crackdown in Kashmir.

No less than two law enforcement officials and three administrative officers, who spoke on situation of anonymity in line with departmental coverage, mentioned Tuesday that the choice to close 48 of the 87 government-authorized resorts was a precautionary security measure. They didn't specify for a way lengthy these locations can be out of bounds for guests.

The choice comes every week after gunmen killed 26 people, most of them Indian tourists, close to the resort city of Pahalgam.

The bloodbath set off tit-for-tat diplomatic measures between India and Pakistan that included cancellation of visas and a recall of diplomats. New Delhi additionally suspended a vital water sharing treaty with Islamabad and ordered its border shut with Pakistan. In response, Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airways.

India accuses Pakistan of backing the assault India has described the bloodbath as a “terror assault” and accused Pakistan of backing it. Pakistan has denied any connection to the assault, and it was claimed by a beforehand unknown militant group calling itself the Kashmir Resistance.

Some vacationers who survived the bloodbath have informed Indian media that the gunmen singled out Hindu males and shot them from shut vary. The useless included a Nepalese citizen and an area Muslim pony journey operator.

The area is cut up between India and Pakistan and claimed by each in its entirety. New Delhi describes all militancy in Indian-controlled Kashmir as Pakistan-backed terrorism. Pakistan denies this, and plenty of Muslim Kashmiris contemplate the militants to be a part of a home-grown freedom battle.

Tensions spike between India and Pakistan As tensions escalate, cross-border firing between soldiers of India and Pakistan has additionally elevated alongside the Line of Management, the de facto frontier that separates Kashmiri territory between the 2 rivals. On Tuesday, the Indian military in a press release mentioned it had responded to “unprovoked” small arms hearth from a number of Pakistan military posts for a fifth consecutive night time.

There was no remark from Pakistan, and the incidents couldn't be independently verified. Up to now, all sides has accused the opposite of beginning border skirmishes within the Himalayan area.

The U.S. State Division referred to as for deescalation and mentioned that Secretary of State Marco Rubio can be talking quickly to the Indian and Pakistani international ministers.

Pakistani troops shot down a small Indian spy drone that flew lots of of meters into Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, three Pakistani safety officers informed The Related Press on Tuesday, talking on situation of anonymity as they weren’t allowed to talk to the media. The drone was shot down on Monday within the border city of Bhimber, they mentioned.

In the meantime, authorities forces within the area have detained and questioned practically 2,000 individuals, officers and residents mentioned. Lots of the detained are former rebels preventing in opposition to Indian rule and others who officers describe as “over floor staff” of militants, a time period authorities use for civilians suspected of associating with insurgents.

Indian troopers have demolished the household houses of at the least 9 suspected militants throughout Kashmir, utilizing explosives.

The area’s prime pro-India leaders have supported motion in opposition to suspected militants but in addition questioned the demolitions.

Omar Abdullah, the area’s chief minister, mentioned Monday that any heavy-handed techniques in opposition to civilians needs to be prevented. “We must always not take any step that can alienate individuals,” Abdullah informed the area’s lawmakers throughout a legislative session.

Ruhullah Mehdi, a lawmaker from the area in India’s nationwide parliament, termed the demolitions of houses as “collective punishment.”

Cancellations overwhelm Kashmir tourism trade Indian tourism has flourished in Kashmir after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s authorities promoted visits to the area with the hope of exhibiting rising tourism numbers as an indication of renewed stability there.

Millions of visitors arrive in Kashmir to see its Himalayan foothills and exquisitely embellished houseboats, regardless of common skirmishes between insurgents and authorities forces. In accordance with official knowledge, shut to three million vacationers visited the area in 2024, an increase from 2.71 million guests in 2023 and a couple of.67 million in 2022.

However final week’s assault has left many vacationers scared and a few have left the area. Widespread cancellations are additionally being reported by tour operators, with some estimates placing the quantity at greater than 1 million.

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Related Press author Munir Ahmed in Islamabad contributed to this report.

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