India Detonates Homes of Suspected Pakistani Terrorists, Raising Tensions Between the Two Nuclear Countries

Two terrorist leaders who played a key role in the deadly attack on a group of tourists that left 27 dead in the Indian-controlled Kashmir saw their homes blown to pieces by local security forces. Fears have grown that the murder of the tourists could spark a nuclear confrontation.The homes of Adil Thokar and Asif Shaikh — both alleged to be militant commanders with the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group — were destroyed during the blasts, which occurred in the towns of Anantag and Awantipora, according to a report from the Times of India. According to officials who spoke with the news outlet, explosives that were being stored in both houses had been used for the demolitions.Video circulating on social media shows Mr. Thokar’s home instantly reduced to rubble as the fiery explosion ripped through the structure. Mr. Thokar is alleged to have been one of the three masterminds behind the recent attack on Hindu tourists in the Himalayan Mountain town of Pahalgam in which the killers dressed in army fatigues and targeted victims based on their religion. The town is known for being on the Amarnath Yatra, a major Hindu pilgrimage route that draws hundreds of thousands each year.The Jammu and Kashmir region has long been a hotbed for conflict. While India controls the part of Kashmir known as Ladakh, Pakistan also lays claim to the entire region and engaged in two wars over its control.Before Tuesday’s attack, the violence against civilians had been reduced, although there are ongoing demands from some groups to unite with Pakistan. New Delhi attributes the resurgence in conflict to Islamabad’s influence and claims that terrorist activities are being orchestrated by Pakistan and has imposed strong diplomatic sanctions on the neighboring country.“Hindu nationalists are pressuring [Indian Prime Minister] Modi to respond strongly, but I’m not sure the prime minister is eager to wage an all-out war,” a former Western diplomat at New Delhi who keeps ties with Indian officials recently told the Sun.

India Detonates Homes of Suspected Pakistani Terrorists, Raising Tensions Between the Two Nuclear Countries

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