Civilians flee to hills amid Indian airstrikes in Pakistani Kashmir

Wednesday 07 May 2025 - 12:05

By: Zahouani Ilham

Civilians flee to hills amid Indian airstrikes in Pakistani Kashmir

Residents of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, reported fleeing to nearby hills as Indian airstrikes struck the city early Wednesday. The attacks, which India claimed targeted terrorist camps, caused widespread panic. Mosque loudspeakers urged people to seek shelter as the ground shook and explosions echoed throughout the area.

At sunrise, many gathered near a mosque damaged in the strikes its roof destroyed and its minaret brought down. Security forces secured the area, while officials confirmed that three people died near the collapsed mosque. Overall, Pakistan’s military reported 26 fatalities and 46 injuries across Pakistan and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir due to the strikes.

India justified the action by stating it aimed at training and recruitment centers used by militant groups. Pakistan, however, condemned the attack as an “act of war,” denying the presence of any such camps in the targeted zones. The assault followed a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir by Islamist gunmen, sharply escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

Along the Line of Control (LoC), exchanges of mortar and small arms fire between Indian and Pakistani forces persisted into the morning. Pakistani officials confirmed the deaths of at least six civilians on their side, while police in Indian Kashmir reported 10 dead and nearly 50 injured.

In Muzaffarabad, schools remained closed and exams were cancelled. Hospitals continued to function and some businesses opened. Local resident Shair Mir recounted spending four hours outdoors with his family for safety, noting that some neighbors were injured and hospitalized, while others remained in shock.