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Russia Today
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
India kills three terrorists involved in April Kashmir attack
The Indian armed forces have killed three terrorists who were involved in the April attack on tourists in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday. The identities of the trio, named as Suleman, Jibran and Afghan, were confirmed by witnesses, Shah told the lower house of the Indian parliament. The men belonged to the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), he added. 'I want to tell the parliament and the nation that those who murdered our citizens in Baisaran Valley, these three were among them and they were killed,' Shah said. 'The NIA [National Investigation Agency] earlier arrested those who sheltered these terrorists. When their bodies were brought to Srinagar, we got them to identify the bodies.' One M9 carbine and two AK-47s recovered from the terrorists were the same weapons used in the Kashmir killings, the Indian home minister said, citing tests conducted at the Forensic Science Laboratory in the city of Chandigarh. ⚡️ India Confirms Three Pahalgam Terrorists Killed During Monday Op In J&K - Home Minister Amit ShahThe bodies of the three suspects, named as Suleman, Jibran and Afghan, had their identifies confirmed by four witnesses. The NIA had also previously detained those who gave the… 'The IB [Intelligence Bureau] and the army's soldiers continuously worked on capturing signals of the ultra system [a Chinese encrypted communication system]. Finally, on July 22, the sensors established their exact location, and then the Indian armed forces finally killed them on Monday,' Shah said. The armed forces recovered two Pakistani voter identity cards and packets of chocolates made in Pakistan from the terrorists, he added. The Resistance Front, believed to be linked to LeT, initially claimed responsibility for the April attack that claimed 26 lives, but later denied it. The Pakistani government has officially denied any involvement. India responded to the attack by striking suspected terror facilities in Pakistan-controlled territory in the early hours of May 7. This led to a Pakistani retaliation and a military exchange that ended with a ceasefire three days later.
Times of Oman
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
"When you butcher civilians, you don't get a pass": Trump backs TRF terror designation
Washington: The US House Foreign Affairs Committee Majority on Saturday said President Donald Trump strongly backed the administration's decision to designate The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation, calling it a deserved move against those responsible for killing civilians in India. "President Trump calls it like it is. The Resistance Front is a foreign terrorist organisation and deserves the designation. When you butcher civilians, you don't get a pass--you get JUSTICE," the Committee posted on X. The Resistance Front, a proxy group of Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), had claimed responsibility for the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam area that killed 26 civilians. The attack also triggered a four-day military escalation between India and Pakistan. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar welcomed the move, calling it a strong step in the global fight against terrorism. He said the action reflected growing India-US counter-terrorism cooperation. "Appreciate SecRubio and @StateDept for designating TRF, a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) proxy, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). It claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Zero tolerance for terrorism," Jaishankar posted on his social media platform X. In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the decision to designate TRF under US anti-terrorism laws was based on its direct involvement in the Pahalgam attack and its known links with LeT. The United States noted that the Pahalgam incident was the deadliest civilian attack in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which were also carried out by LeT. The US State Department further stated that TRF has been involved in multiple attacks on Indian security forces, including in 2024. The move, the US government said, reinforced the Trump administration's long-standing commitment to global counter-terrorism and signalled a message that terrorist proxies will not be spared.
Times of Oman
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
China "strongly" condemns Pahalgam attack, calls on regional countries to enhance counter terrorism ops
Beijing: After the United States designated The Resistance Front (TRF) as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO), China has condemned the April 22 Pahalgam attack, calling for greater regional cooperation to counter terrorism and ensure stability. China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian lauded the effort of the US in helping combat terrorist activities. When asked about the US State Department's effort by designating The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organisation, Lin said that China condemns all forms of terrorism. "China firmly opposes all forms of terrorism and strongly condemns the terrorist attack that occurred on April 22. China calls on regional countries to enhance counterterrorism cooperation and jointly maintain regional security and stability," he said. The US Department of State on Thursday (local time) designated The Resistance Front (TRF). In a statement issued by the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, the statement acknowledged the fact that the organisation claimed responsibility for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. The US, therefore, accorded the TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). "Today, the Department of State is adding The Resistance Front (TRF) as a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). TRF, a Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT) front and proxy, claimed responsibility for the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack which killed 26 civilians. This was the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks conducted by LeT. TRF has also claimed responsibility for several attacks against Indian security forces, including most recently in 2024," the statement read. The statement said that this action demonstrated the US President Donald Trump administration's commitment to countering terrorism. "These actions taken by the Department of State demonstrate the Trump Administration's commitment to protecting our national security interests, countering terrorism, and enforcing President Trump's call for justice for the Pahalgam attack," the statement said. "TRF and other associated aliases have been added to LeT's designation as a FTO and SDGT pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, respectively. The Department of State has also reviewed and maintained the FTO designation of LeT. Amendments to FTO designations go into effect upon publication in the Federal Register," the statement added.
SBS Australia
10-07-2025
- SBS Australia
Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir: Is your travel insurance ready for the trip?
Every year thousands of people across the world embark on the Amarnath Yatra in the Kashmir Valley. This year, among the travellers are Melbourne residents Arpita and Dheeraj Kapoor, who set off earlier this month on a deeply personal pilgrimage. Arpita and Dheeraj Kapoor, Melbourne residents, are on Amarnath trip. Credit: Supplied by Arpita Kapoor 'We left in a rush and didn't take out travel insurance this time. Honestly, we didn't realise what it meant to travel to a place the Australian government advises against,' Arpita told SBS Hindi over the phone from Amarnath. The Australian government's ' Do Not Trave l' warning applies to the entire Jammu and Kashmir region — with no exceptions to the Amarnath Yatra. To clarify the insurance implications, SBS Hindi reached out to multiple travel insurance providers — all of whom confirmed that travel to regions under a Level 4 advisory is not covered. Tanvi Goel, a Brisbane-based travel agent, said travel insurance is optional but important for anyone going overseas, as it helps protect against unforeseen situations like lost baggage or medical emergencies. First batch of pilgrims pose for picture as they leave for journey to the Amarnath cave on July 3, 2025 in Pahalgam, India. Source: SIPA USA / Hindustan Times/Hindustan Times/Sipa USA/AAP "However, it may not cover travellers visiting 'Do Not Travel' zones. So, the best practice is to register your travel plans with the government — this lets them know you're heading overseas. In Australia, you can do this through the Smarttraveller website." The annual Amarnath Yatra kicked off on 3 July this year and is is set to conclude on 9 August. The pilgrimage involves a trek to a cave temple situated in the southern Kashmir near Pahalgam town. (Disclaimer: This information is intended as a general guide. For advice tailored to your situation, please consult a qualified professional.] Find all our podcasts here at: SBS Hindi Podcast Collection. LISTEN TO SBS Hindi 04/07/2025 10:37 Hindi LISTEN TO SBS Hindi 03/07/2025 06:29 Hindi
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Yahoo
'Tourists are our lifeline': Picking up the pieces in Kashmir after April killings
Two months after a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir scared away tourists and brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war, the picturesque valley nestled in the Himalayan mountains is beginning to see the first signs of a tourism revival. Shabana Awwal is making videos of her children as they take turns to get on a water bike for a ride on the Dal Lake, Srinagar city's most iconic tourist spot. Ms Awwal has travelled from the western state of Rajasthan with her husband and children in a group of 15 - all members of their extended family. "I've visited Kashmir many times and seen all the major attractions such as Gulmarg, Sonmarg and Pahalgam and wanted to show all these places to my relatives," she tells the BBC. The Awwals had planned their 10-day trip in March. "Summer in Rajasthan is unbearably hot so we'd planned to escape to Kashmir during the children's school vacation," she says. But since she planned the trip, the circumstances here have drastically changed. On 22 April, militants attacked tourists visiting a beauty spot near Pahalgam town, killing 26 men. Tourism is the mainstay of the economy of Jammu and Kashmir, a federally-administered territory, and this unprecedented targeting of tourists sent shockwaves through India. The authorities closed down 48 tourist destinations in the valley and two-thirds of them still remain shut. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who's been lobbying hard to reopen these spots to attract visitors to the region, says "the impact of the attack was immediate and very widely felt". "There was a mass exodus of those tourists who were already here, and a mass cancellation of those who were proposing to come. Then India and Pakistan, for all intents and purposes, were almost at war for a couple of days in May," Abdullah told the BBC. "So the lasting impact has been felt both in the deterioration of relations between the two neighbouring countries and our tourism season for the year is going to be, what word do I use for it? I guess you can call it a disaster." Kashmir, claimed by both India and Pakistan, has been a flashpoint for decades. The nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours have fought two wars and a limited conflict over Kashmir. For more than a quarter of a century, the region has seen an armed insurgency against Indian rule, but even at its peak, tourists were rarely targeted. Ms Awwal said her family decided to continue with their holiday because "we weren't really afraid" and "we thought we'll deal with whatever came our way". "We are happy that we went ahead with our plans. The situation here is normal," she says and blames the "media hype" for the impression that it's unsafe to travel to Kashmir. The Awwals are not alone in their optimism. Deepti and Anuj Gandhi of Jammu who made their plans just last week say "there's no summer holiday destination better than Kashmir". "The children love to ride water bikes and then we'll go boating in the lake. We come here every year, so why break the tradition now?" she says. Earlier this week, news agency ANI reported that a group of Polish tourists had arrived in the city. The arrivals merely weeks after the Pahalgam attack are a cause of optimism for hoteliers, taxi drivers, tour guides, shopkeepers and owners of shikaras – the Venetian gondola-like narrow colourful wooden boats that ferry tourists on the Dal Lake. In April, president of the shikara owners' association Haji Wali Mohammad Bhat says, the Dal Lake boulevard was packed with thousands of tourists, there were daily traffic jams and many complained they were finding it hard to get accommodation. "The attack on tourists was unfortunate and tragic," he says. "It has affected all of us and our livelihoods. Tourists are our life, tourism is our lifeline. God knows what sin we're paying for," he adds, despairingly. Ravi Gosain, president of Indian Association of Tour Operators, who recently led a three-day "fact-finding trip" of tour operators - as "they are the ones who send travellers to Kashmir" says "for the past few years tourism was flourishing in Kashmir, lots of new hotels had been built, new vehicles were bought and new shops had opened". Last year, the government said 23.6 million tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir, with 3.49 million visiting the valley. This year, Mr Gosain says, the peak season has been lost in the valley, but tourism can still pick up. "Locals are very welcoming, hoteliers, tour guides and shopkeepers are very friendly and people are coming back. You can see it – all flights are coming in full, tourism is bouncing back quickly. "I think the national sentiment is that if the purpose of the attack was to derail tourism, then it won't succeed. But I hope no untoward incident happens again," he adds. According to reports, some of the credit for the revival of tourism in Kashmir also goes to a new train link that has for the first time connected Srinagar with the rest of India. The twice-daily train from Srinagar to Katra station, in Jammu region – which recently made headlines for passing over "the world's highest single-arch railway bridge" – has been running packed and tickets have been sold out for the next two months. Katra, which is the starting point for those visiting the popular Hindu shrine of Vaishno Devi, attracted 9.48 million pilgrims last year. And many of those arriving there since 7 June, when the spanking new air-conditioned train was commissioned, have been hopping on it to go to Kashmir. Among the pilgrims taking advantage of the easy connectivity is Ghanshyam Bharadwaj and his wife Mamata Sharma and their children. For the Delhi-based couple enjoying hot sugary tea near the Dal Lake, coming to Srinagar was "a spur of the moment decision". "It took us just three hours from Katra. We'll spend the night here and take the train back to Katra tomorrow and travel on to Delhi," Mr Bharadwaj said. "I ask him if he was worried travelling to the valley so soon after the Pahalgam attack? "There's nothing to be afraid of. This is my country," he says. Chief Minister Abdullah says the fact that the pilgrims are choosing to come to the valley is a good start. "Now those who are coming for a few hours, I'd like to see them come for a few days. Those who are coming for a few days, I'd like to see them having the confidence to stay for a week. "But at least it's a beginning, and that's what helps." Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
