SRINAGAR, Jammu and Kashmir

At least 26 people were killed when unknown gunmen opened fire Tuesday on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, forcing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cut short his trip to Saudi Arabia, officials told Anadolu.

Modi reached Jeddah early today for a two-day state visit but will return early Wednesday, Indian officials confirmed to Anadolu.

The shooting occurred in the Baisaran area of Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in southern Kashmir that can only be accessed on foot but is typically crowded during the tourist season. Authorities described the assault as one of the worst in recent memory.

“Medical teams were swiftly mobilized and casualty evacuation commenced,” the Indian Army said, adding that a joint search operation with police was “in progress, with all efforts focused on bringing the attackers to justice.”

Most of the victims were Indian nationals from various states, though officials have yet to disclose the demographics of the victims.

Home Minister Amit Shah flew to Srinagar after briefing Modi on the attack, where he met with security officials.

The attack coincided with a four-day trip to India by US Vice President JD Vance who also condoled the victims.

US President Donald Trump spoke to Modi soon after the attack to convey his “deepest condolences” at the loss of innocent lives, according to the Indian Foreign Ministry.

The Himalayan region, which is claimed in full but ruled in part by both India and Pakistan, has been caught in a vicious cycle of violence since the start of an anti-Indian insurgency in 1989. Attacks on tourists and visitors, however, have been rare.

Last June, an attack on a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims, plunged it into a deep gorge and killed at least nine people.

India revoked Kashmir's special status in 2019, splitting the state into two federally administered territories -- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Various organizations in Jammu and Kashmir have called for a shutdown strike Wednesday against the killings.

“The Islamic fraternity of Jammu and Kashmir through Mutahida Majlis Ulema in support and solidarity with the bereaved families of those killed appeal to people of Jammu Kashmir to peacefully protest this heinous crime tomorrow by a shutdown,” Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the top cleric in Kashmir, said in a statement.
*Anadolu staff from New Delhi and Riyaz ul Khaliq contributed to this story.