Archive July 28, 2025

During fighting in a national park, the military claims that Indian security forces killed three suspected rebels in India-administered Kashmir.

About 30 kilometers (18 miles) east of Srinagar, the disputed region’s main city, the incident took place on Monday in Dachigam, in the mountains.

The Indian army said in a statement posted on social media that “Three terrorists have been neutralized in an intense firefight.” The “operation continues”

India and Pakistan, which both claim Kashmir in full and have a Muslim majority, have engaged in three wars to control it since 1947 when they were granted independence from British rule.

Kashmiri rebels have been fighting Indian rule since 1989, requesting regional integration or regional integration with Pakistan. Pakistan is accused of supporting the rebellion, but Islamabad claims that it only gives Kashmiris diplomatic support.

The three men who were killed on Monday, according to reports in Indian media, are thought to be responsible for the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, a resort town in India, that resulted in the death of 26 people.

More than 70 people were killed on both sides of the four-day military conflict with Pakistan in April, which Al Jazeera was unable to immediately confirm the men’s involvement in.

On the condition of anonymity, a police officer told the AFP news agency that all the victims were “foreigners.” The Indian military did not immediately identify them.

The Resistance Front (TRF), which is accused of being responsible for the Pahalgam attack, was officially designated a “foreign terrorist organization” by the US this month.

More than 350, 000 people from across India have travelled there on July 3 as part of an annual pilgrimage that started there. The incident occurred on Monday near the Hindu shrine of Amarnath.

In India-administered Kashmir, fighting between rebels and Indian government forces has drastically decreased over the past five years, but many local fighters have died, according to officials, since the Pahalgam attack.

India refutes US assertions.

In a related development, India’s defense minister Rajnath Singh claimed on Monday that New Delhi had successfully ended its military conflict with Pakistan in May because it had pursued all goals and had not relied on outside pressure.

US President Donald Trump claimed that he had broken the deal between the two neighbors in a discussion in parliament on April 22. However, Singh’s remarks at the time effectively rejected Singh’s assertion.

Because all the political and military objectives identified before and during the conflict had been fully realized, Singh said, “India halted its operation.” It is completely false to suggest that the operation was called off due to pressure.

According to New Delhi, Pakistanis were responsible for the Pahalgam killings. Pakistan demanded an impartial investigation and denied involvement.

Before Trump announced they had agreed to a ceasefire, the two sides engaged in a military conflict in May that involved fighter jets, missiles, drones, and other munitions, killing dozens of people.

India claimed that the US had no influence in the negotiations and that New Delhi and Islamabad had reached a truce to put an end to the conflict, while Pakistan thanked Trump for brokering it.

The government’s inability to capture the assailants and the government’s failure to stop the attack, which the opposition in India claim is a problem, are issues they are expected to raise during the parliament discussion.

They also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for reportedly agreeing to end the fighting and being under pressure from Trump.

A comprehensive trade agreement between the US and the European Union prevents a full-fledged transatlantic trade war by imposing a 15% import tariff on the majority of EU goods.

Before the steep tariffs’ introduction deadline of August 1st, US President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reached a deal on Sunday in Scotland.

The US leader hailed the deal as the “biggest deal” ever made, and the EU chief praised it as a much-needed “stability” and “predictability,” according to both von der Leyen and Trump.

What, however, are European leaders’ opinions regarding the deal with the world’s largest trading partner? What responses have people had?

Denmark

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen stated that “the trade conditions will not be as good as they were before, and it is not our choice. However, a balance must be struck to stabilize the situation and allow both sides to live with.”

Finland

The deal, according to Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo, “provides much-needed predictability to Finnish companies and the world economy.” “Trade barriers must be continued.” He claimed that only free transatlantic trade benefits both parties the most.

France

An alliance of free peoples, organized to affirm their shared values and advance their shared interests, resigns to submission, according to French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou.

Germany

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz claimed the agreement had prevented a trade war that had had had a significant impact on the export-focused German economy. The automotive industry, where the current tariffs of 27.5 percent will be almost halved to 15 percent, is one example.

Berlin sees the need for further negotiations, according to a government spokesman. At a press conference in Berlin, the spokesperson stated, “We see a need for further negotiations. It is undoubtedly no secret.” He added that “the EU Commission and the German government are now fully committed to this” and that more details of the agreement were still to be worked out.

Hungary

Viktor Orban, the prime minister of Hungary, criticized the agreement. We suspected this would occur because the US president is a heavyweight in negotiations, while Madame President is featherweight, he said, adding that “this is not an agreement.” Donald Trump ate von der Leyen for breakfast, which is what happened, according to him.

Ireland

The deal, according to Irish Trade Minister Simon Harris, provides “a measure of much-needed certainty for Irish, European, and American businesses, who together represent the world’s most integrated trading relationship.”

Ireland regrets the agreement’s inclusion of the 15% base tariff, but he said it is important for us to now have more certainty about the foundations of the EU-US trade relationship, which are essential for jobs, growth, and investment.

Italy

Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister of Italy, said, “It’s good that there is an agreement, but I can’t judge it in the best way if I don’t see the details.” She stated at a summit in Ethiopia that “trade escalation would have had unanticipated and potentially devastating consequences.”

Meloni, a Trump ally on a number of issues, earlier this month, warned of a “trade war within the West.”

Romania

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan “salutes that a trade agreement was reached and… feels it is a good omen,” the Romanian government’s press office said in a statement. It eliminated the uncertainty and disruptions that had previously caused transatlantic trade relations, according to the statement.

Spain

Pedro Sanchez, the prime minister of Spain, declared he was in favor of the agreement but “without much enthusiasm.”

“I value the European Commission president’s approachable and cooperative behavior. In any case, he declared at a press conference that he supports this trade agreement without being enthusiastic.

Sweden

“This agreement may be the least least bad option, but it does not make anyone richer.” According to an initial assessment, the agreement appears to have some predictability, according to Swedish Trade Minister Benjamin Dousa.