Srinagar: India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) has confirmed that all three militants involved in the April 22 attack on tourists in Baisaran near Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, were Pakistani nationals affiliated with the UN-proscribed militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
The revelation follows the arrest of two local residents accused of sheltering the attackers before the incident, which left 26 people dead and drew international condemnation.
Earlier, sketches released by police suggested two of the attackers were from Pakistan, while one was believed to be a local. However, the NIA now asserts all three were foreign nationals. The attackers remain at large.
The agency said the arrested men had knowingly harboured the three armed terrorists at a seasonal dhol (hut) prior to the deadly assault. The NIA did not disclose when the arrests took place, and the accused have yet to make any public statements.
Pakistan, which had earlier denied any involvement in the attack, has not commented on the latest claims. A little-known outfit, The Resistance Front (TRF), initially claimed responsibility before later disowning it. TRF is widely believed to be a proxy of LeT.
The attack, which targeted a popular tourist destination, escalated tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours, bringing them to the brink of open conflict. In the immediate aftermath, India revoked the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, a key water-sharing agreement. Pakistan retaliated by withdrawing from the 1972 Simla Agreement, which emphasised peaceful bilateral resolution of disputes.
On May 7, India launched coordinated air and missile strikes on what it described as terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Pakistan denied the existence of such camps and responded by firing missiles and deploying drones into Indian territory.
The escalation continued until May 10, when US President Donald Trump intervened to broker a ceasefire, easing immediate fears of a broader conflict.
Tensions remain high in the Kashmir region, which both India and Pakistan claim in full but govern in parts. Thousands were detained for questioning as part of a massive search operation following the April attack.
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