
The United States has strongly condemned and criticised the terror attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims that happened on Monday evening killing seven people and injuring 15. Congressmen from Texas, Florida, Arkansas and California paid condolences to the families of the deceased and injured and issued a statement criticising the attacks. Many of them openly criticised the attack on Twitter.
ANI quoted US state department spokesperson Heather Nauert as saying: “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and to their families as well.”
Congressman Ted Poe, US representative for Texas’s second congressional district, said, “The terrorist attack on #AmarnathYatra is reprehensible and must be condemned.”
Another Congressman William Pete Olson, US representative for Texas’s 22nd congressional district, wrote: “The terrorist attack on #AmarnathYatra is deplorable & must be condemned. Prayers for the families of those killed”.
Further, William Ballard Hurd, US representative for Texas’s 23rd congressional district said, “My thoughts & prayers to all of the Amarnath Yatra Terror Attack victims & their families. The attack is reprehensible & must be condemned”.
Criticising the attack, Sheela Lee Jackson, US Representative for Texas 18th Congressional District tweeted- “The terrorist attack on #AmarnathPilgrims is outrageous. Religion is a fundamental right and human right”.
US representative for Texas’s 7th congressional district John Culberson said, “Our hearts go out to the victims of the terrorist attack on #AmarnathYatra. We must stand united against these deplorable acts of terrorism”.
Stephanie Murphy, Florida’s Seventh Congressional District in the US House of Representatives, wrote, “Saddened by the barbaric act of violence against #AmarnathYatra pilgrims. People everywhere must stand united against hate”.
Calling it an attack on freedom of religious expression, Indian American Rohit “Ro” Khanna- US Representative for California’s 17th congressional district tweeted: “The world must stand united against the heinous terrorist act on Amarnath pilgrims. It’s an attack on the freedom of religious expression”.
French Hill, US Representative for Arkansas’s second Congressional district, said, “Once again, innocents are victims of terror. My sympathy to the families horribly impacted by the murders at #AmarnathYatra.”
On Monday, militants attacked a bus carrying at least 56 passengers at Botengo village near Anantnag, on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, in South Kashmir.
(With PTI inputs)