Shia Muslims of Kashmir protest Soleimani assassination

The assassination of Iran’s elite Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad has sparked an angry reaction among Shia Muslims – and India’s own community was no exception, taking to the streets to decry the US move.

The Quds Force chief was killed in a US airstrike alongside several other Iranian and Iraqi military commanders on the outskirts of the Iraqi capital on Thursday. While Washington – and Tel Aviv – claimed the killing to be “defensive” in nature, it caused an explosive reaction across Iraq and Iran, with thousands strongly condemning the attack.

The assassination sparked protests in other countries as well, especially in those with sizeable Shia Muslim populations. A handful of rallies were held in the Indian-controlled part of the disputed Kashmir region, where locals flocked to the streets to voice their anger over the murder.

Hundreds of protesters also marched in the northern Indian town of Budgam, carrying portraits of Soleimani and chanting anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans.

-Shia Muslims of Kashmir