Pahalgam Attack Sparks Fresh Conflict
A new wave of hostilities has erupted between India and Pakistan, marking the deadliest confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbours in years. The fresh violence was triggered by a brutal assault on April 22 in Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in Indian-administered Kashmir, where 26 people, 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali, were gunned down.
Survivors described how armed men opened fire indiscriminately, targeting the group at close range, reportedly singling out male victims and accusing them of political affiliations with the ruling party.
India swiftly blamed the attack on the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, a UN-designated terrorist organisation, prompting a series of retaliatory air and missile strikes. Pakistan rejected involvement in the massacre and called for an independent investigation.
Escalation Across the Border
In the early hours of May 7, India launched coordinated airstrikes and artillery attacks on multiple sites across the Line of Control (LoC), targeting what it described as “terrorist infrastructure.” The Indian military reported the destruction of nine camps it claimed were used to train and shelter militants. India’s Defence Minister said the action was a “measured response” to protect national security.
Pakistan responded by downing five Indian jets and a surveillance drone, according to its military sources. India confirmed the loss of three aircraft, which reportedly crashed on its own soil. Amidst the crossfire, Pakistan reported that 26 civilians had been killed, including a seven-year-old boy in Punjab. Indian strikes damaged several key infrastructures, including the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project and a mosque in Muzaffarabad.
The violence caused civilian casualties across Kotli, Muridke, Ahmedpur Sharqia, and Muzaffarabad. A health and education complex and an Islamic seminary were among the civilian structures destroyed. Reports from both sides indicate widespread panic, with residents in Indian-administered Kashmir and Pakistan-administered territories fleeing their homes.
India’s suspension of participation in the Indus Waters Treaty and threats to block water flowing into Pakistan further stoked tensions. Pakistan issued a warning, stating it would consider any such move an act of war.
International Reactions and Diplomatic Pressure
The conflict has drawn urgent international concern. The United Nations, United States, China, Russia, the European Union, and several regional powers have all called for restraint. UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasised that the world “cannot afford” an all-out war between the two countries. Meanwhile, Iran has offered to mediate, dispatching its foreign minister to both capitals in a bid to ease tensions.
Airlines have cancelled or rerouted flights in and around the region amid fears that the conflict could escalate further.
Exchanges of fire have continued along the LoC, particularly in the Baramulla and Uri sectors, despite global calls for calm.
A Legacy of Violence: The Indo-Pakistani Conflict Timeline
The renewed hostilities are the latest chapter in a turbulent history of enmity between India and Pakistan, rooted in the unresolved status of Kashmir.
The first war broke out in 1947 following the partition of British India, sparked by a dispute over the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. A UN-brokered ceasefire in 1949 created the LoC but failed to resolve the underlying conflict.
The two countries fought a second war over Kashmir in 1965, which ended in a ceasefire but deepened mutual distrust. The third major war occurred in 1971, when India supported the independence movement in East Pakistan, resulting in the creation of Bangladesh.
In the late 1980s, an armed insurgency in Kashmir reignited tensions between the two nations. India accused Pakistan of backing militants: a charge Islamabad has consistently denied. In 1999, Pakistani forces infiltrated the Kargil region, leading to intense fighting and international diplomatic intervention to prevent nuclear escalation.
The 2019 Pulwama bombing marked a significant flashpoint. A suicide attack killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel, prompting Indian airstrikes inside Pakistan for the first time in decades. Pakistan retaliated by downing an Indian fighter jet and detaining its pilot, who was later returned.
Today, as the two neighbours once again find themselves locked in confrontation, the stakes are higher than ever.
With both countries maintaining substantial nuclear arsenals and mutual hostility running deep, the international community continues to watch with increasing alarm, urging diplomacy before the conflict spirals out of control.
Watch videos here:
@metrouk Two weeks after a deadly militant attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, India has launched a series of strikes on sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The Indian defence ministry said the strikes, named ‘Operation Sindoor’, were part of a ‘commitment’ to hold those responsible for the attack on Hindu tourists in the Kashmir and Jammu territory last month. We take a look at the conflict and some of the history behind it. #Fyp #India #IndiaTok #IndiaPakistan #pakistani_tik_tok #OperationSindoor #IndianArmy #PakistanArmy #Conflict #News #IndiaNews #PakistanNews
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