UN Secretary General Guterres strongly condemns Pahalgam attack

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned the "armed attack" in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, stressing that attacks against civilians are unacceptable under any circumstances.

"The Secretary-General strongly condemns the armed attack in Jammu and Kashmir on 22 April, in which at least 28 people were killed," Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General, said.

Guterres offered his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of the victims. "The Secretary-General stresses attacks against civilians are unacceptable under any circumstances," Dujarric said.

Terrorists opened fire at a famed meadow near Kashmir's Pahalgam town on Tuesday afternoon, killing 26 people, mostly tourists, in what is the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019.

The 26 victims of the attack included two foreigners - from UAE and Nepal - and two locals. The toll is still being ascertained, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said while describing the terror attack as "much larger than anything we've seen directed at civilians in recent years".