At least five killed after gunmen open fire on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir

At least five people have been killed after gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists visiting a popular beauty spot in Indian-administered Kashmir, authorities have told the BBC.

The attack took place in Pahalgam, a picturesque town in the Himalayas often described as the “Switzerland of India”.

The region’s chief minister, Omar Abdullah, said the attack was “much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years”.

Reports say a number of people were also wounded in the attack. The region’s Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, said army and police had been deployed to the scene.

Mr Abdullah condemned that attack, saying: “I’m shocked beyond belief. This attack on our visitors is an abomination.”

No group has said they were behind the attack, but there has been a long-running insurgency in the Muslim-majority region since 1989, although violence has waned in recent years.