Nine killed in Pakistan-administered Kashmir clashes

Violence between security forces and protesters in Pakistan-administered Kashmir left at least nine people dead on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, marking a deadly escalation in weeks of unrest over political representation and economic grievances. The clashes occurred in the Poonch district as authorities moved to clear roads blocked by supporters of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC).

Officials reported that the dead included a police officer, a paramilitary soldier, and at least seven civilians. Dozens more were injured. The regional home secretary, Chaudhry Guftar Hussain, stated that armed members of the group opened indiscriminate fire, killing the officer. In contrast, Poonch's top civilian official, Sardar Waheed, described the violence as erupting after protesters blocked a security convoy and attacked officials, with security forces responding in self-defense.

The JAAC, an alliance of civil rights groups, has been leading protests for over a month, staging sit-ins and road blockades that have caused shortages of food and medicine and restricted transport. The group was banned under Pakistan's anti-terrorism laws in June, a designation it rejects as an attempt to...