Protests erupted in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday in response to the killing of Hezbollah Chief Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut. Demonstrators, including many women and children, gathered in Budgam, displaying portraits of Nasrallah. Similar protests occurred in the old city of Srinagar and other areas of the region following Israel's announcement of the 64-year-old leader's death, which was confirmed by Hezbollah.
#WATCH | A protest march was held in Jammu & Kashmir’s Budgam against the killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah by the Israel Defence Force (IDF). pic.twitter.com/EhTYAMFKRd
— ANI (@ANI) September 28, 2024
Mehbooba Mufti Calls Hassan Nasrallah A Martyr
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti termed the deceased in Lebanon and Gaza as martyrs, especially Hassan Nasrallah. She also declared that her party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), would halt its campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections to honour Nasrallah's memory.
She expressed solidarity with the people of Lebanon and Gaza, tweeting, "Cancelling my campaign tomorrow in solidarity with the martyrs of Lebanon & Gaza especially Hassan Nasrallah. We stand with the people of Palestine & Lebanon in this hour of immense grief & exemplary resistance."
Cancelling my campaign tomorrow in solidarity with the martyrs of Lebanon & Gaza especially Hassan Nasarullah. We stand with the people of Palestine & Lebanon in this hour of immense grief & exemplary resistance.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) September 28, 2024
Hezbollah Chief Nasrallah Killed In Israeli Strike
Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli strike on Hezbollah's headquarters on Friday, marking a major blow to the Iran-backed militant group amid ongoing conflicts. The strike also claimed the lives of senior Iranian general Abbas Nilforoushan of the Revolutionary Guards, Nasrallah’s daughter Zainab, and the commander of Hezbollah’s Southern Front, Ali Karaki.
‘Whoever Tries To Harm Us…’: Netanyahu’s Stern Message Amid Deadly Airstrikes In Lebanon Claiming 182 Lives
The recent airstrikes by Israel in Lebanon have resulted in over 800 deaths and widespread displacement, escalating tensions in the region. This violence followed Hezbollah’s rocket barrage into Israel, which came in response to the Israeli military's offensive after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. Concurrently, Israel continues its military operations in Gaza and other parts of Palestine.