At least 26 people were killed and 17 others wounded when gunmen opened fire on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir, the worst assault in years targeting civilians in a restive region that has seen an anti-India rebellion for more than three decades.

India mourns not only the loss of 26 lives but also the shattered peace of a land once hailed as paradise. As the bodies return home, so do scars that may take years to fade both for the grieving families and the nation.

It was the deadliest attack against civilians in years in Kashmir, a region claimed by both India and Pakistan that has been racked by violence for decades.