J.D. Vance's tour of India was rocked by a deadly terrorist attack that killed 26 people in Kashmir.
The vice president was in northwestern India when extremists ambushed a scenic resort town that is popular with Indian tourists, Pahalgam. The attack is one of the worst in years to hit Kashmir, a disputed region nestled in the Himalayas that is renowned for its natural beauty.
"Usha and I extend our condolences to the victims of the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India," Vance wrote on X.
"Over the past few days, we have been overcome with the beauty of this country and its people. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they mourn this horrific attack."
Indian police said that armed men dressed in military garb emerged from the forests surrounding the Baisaran meadow and began shooting.
The scenic area can only be reached from Pahalgam by foot or horseback, the Indian Express reported.
“I was on a pony, about to enter Baisaran, when there were gunshots. People started to run for their lives,” an officer quoted a survivor as saying. “As I tried to escape, a bullet hit me in the elbow. I don’t know where it came from.”
Most of the people killed were Indian tourists, making it the worst attack on Indian civilians since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
President Trump condemned the "deeply disturbing" massacre and said the United States "stands strong with India against terrorism."
Since 1989, insurgents have been fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir, which is predominantly Muslim. The separatists want Kashmir to either become independent or merge with Pakistan, which has a Muslim population.
Under India's nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has asserted greater control over Kashmir while promoting tourism in the region.
The militant group claiming responsibility for Tuesday's attack, The Resistance Front (TRF), formed after India revoked Kashmir's partial autonomy in 2019 and reduced it to a territory.
India and Pakistan each control a portion of Kashmir, with India holding the larger share of territory, but they both claim it in its entirety. The neighboring countries, which both have nuclear weapons, have fought two wars over Kashmir since the partition of British India in 1947.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have increased after Tuesday's attack, with India ordering Pakistani nationals to leave India within 48 hours.
Vice president Vance is on a four-day tour of India with his family. He was in the northwestern city of Jaipur on Tuesday after a meeting with prime minister Modi the day before to discuss trade.
The vice president also found time for pleasure, touring the Taj Mahal with his wife Usha and their kids on Wednesday.
