Residents of Muzaffarabad Run Toward Hills During the Attack

Residents of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, were terrified during India’s attack late Tuesday night. At that time, they fled from their homes toward the surrounding hills. Local residents informed Reuters about this.

Describing the situation during the attack, local residents said explosions were happening all around, the ground was shaking. At that time, announcements were being made through mosque loudspeakers asking people to move to safety.

Muhammad Shayer Mir, a 46-year-old resident, said, “(Hearing the sound of explosions) we came out of the house. Then there were more explosions. The entire house was shaking. Everyone became terrified. We went toward the hills with our children.”

Today, Wednesday, after sunrise, many people gathered near a mosque damaged in the attack. The mosque’s roof had collapsed, and the minaret had fallen. Security forces surrounded the area. A local senior official said three people were killed near the mosque.

The Pakistani military has said that 26 people were killed and 46 injured in India’s attacks on various locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

“Today, Wednesday, after sunrise, many people gathered near a mosque damaged in the attack. The mosque’s roof had collapsed, and the minaret had fallen. Security forces surrounded the area. A local senior official said three people were killed near the mosque.”

India claims that they carried out these attacks targeting ‘terrorist camps’ in Pakistan. The camps were used as recruitment centers, training facilities, and ideological propaganda bases for ‘terrorist’ organizations. There were also weapons there.

Pakistan has described this attack as a ‘clear step toward declaring war.’ They said that the locations that were attacked were not terrorist camps.

Tensions between the two nuclear-powered neighboring countries reached a peak following a recent attack by gunmen on tourists in Pahalgam in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Local authorities in Muzaffarabad have said that hospitals there remain operational. Some small businesses opened this morning. However, schools have been kept closed. Exams have also been canceled.

Shayer Mir said that after the attack, he and his family spent four hours under the open sky. Some of his neighbors were injured and admitted to hospitals. Residents are suffering from extreme fear.

Shayer Mir believes that what happened to poor, innocent people is wrong. He says, “Our helpless mothers have fallen ill, sisters have fallen ill… our houses were shaking, walls have cracked.”