Protests were held across several Shia-majority localities in Kashmir on Sunday following reports that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in joint US-Israeli airstrikes.
Officials said hundreds of people gathered in different towns and neighborhoods, taking to the streets in peaceful marches. Demonstrators raised slogans condemning the United States and Israel, expressing anger over the reported killing of the Iranian leader. Security personnel were deployed in sensitive areas to ensure that the protests remained orderly.
Community leaders described the development as deeply distressing for many in the region. Shia cleric Syed Samar Kazmi said the loss would not be forgotten and accused global powers of targeting a leader who, in his words, had spoken out against injustice. He stated that future generations would be reminded of the circumstances surrounding Khamenei’s death and reiterated solidarity with what he called oppressed communities, particularly in Palestine.
Iranian state media earlier confirmed that Khamenei was killed in an attack attributed to Israel and the United States. The incident has sparked reactions in multiple countries, with demonstrations and statements emerging from different parts of the Muslim world.
In Kashmir, however, authorities reported that the protests concluded without major incidents. Police continued to monitor the situation closely, urging citizens to maintain calm amid heightened regional tensions.