Fresh violence intensified amid ongoing protests in Azad Kashmir, with at least ten people, including two security personnel, killed in clashes ahead of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee’s planned long march to Muzaffarabad.
As authorities sealed Rawalakot and deployed thousands of security personnel, tensions remain high amid conflicting claims over the scale of the protest and the circumstances surrounding the deadly confrontations.
15 جولائی 2026
پہلی ویڈیو
راولاکوٹ ہزاروں کی
تعداد میں قافلے
پہنچنا شروع
تاریخی لانگ مارچ
مظفرآباد pic.twitter.com/OFGI4HGjbK— Azad jamu Kashmir Updates (@Ajk_Updates_) July 15, 2026
Authorities said the violence claimed lives of eight civilians, one Rangers personnel and one police officer, pushing the overall death toll from weeks of unrest and the subsequent crackdown to 28, including five police officers.
Joint Action Committee goons opened fire on innocent civilians near the bus stand in Rawalakot, Azad Jammu & Kashmir.
One Rangers soldier was martyred and another was injured while trying to save civilians and assist the police.
This is the reality of the Indian proxy JAAC. pic.twitter.com/TIatQP3VKN
— Zard si Gana (@ZardSi) July 14, 2026
Despite bloodshed, the banned Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee announced that its long march from Rawalakot to Muzaffarabad would proceed on Wednesday afternoon, setting the stage for a potentially volatile confrontation with security forces.
The government deployed nearly 4,000 personnel from the Rangers, Police and Frontier Constabulary (FC), while Rawalakot was effectively sealed off. Poonch Division Commissioner Sardar Waheed Khan said authorities would not allow protesters to pass through the city, warning that anyone attempting to reach Muzaffarabad would have to travel via mountain routes.
A dispute has also emerged over the scale of the protest. District officials estimated that between 1,000 and 1,500 people had gathered at Darek in Rawalakot. However, Awami Action Committee leader Abid Shaheen claimed the crowd had swelled to nearly 40,000, with women and children continuing to join the sit-in. Independent verification remains impossible after authorities reportedly barred media representatives from entering Rawalakot.
The protesters are demanding end of reserved assembly seats for Kashmir refugees living in Pakistan, an end to privileges enjoyed by the political elite, a reduction in the number of ministers and political appointments, and stricter oversight of public spending.
Officials said the deadliest confrontation occurred in Sudhanoti, where a convoy carrying around 450 Rangers personnel was allegedly blocked near Baloch Baithak. Authorities claim protesters first pelted the convoy with stones before opening fire, prompting security forces to retaliate. Officials say seven protesters and one police officer were killed, while several others sustained injuries.
A separate clash in Rawalakot reportedly erupted when security personnel attempted to clear blocked roads. Authorities allege protesters again opened fire, killing one Rangers soldier before security forces returned fire, resulting in the death of one member of the banned organization.
Police accused armed members of the Joint Awami Action Committee of carrying out targeted attacks that killed Rangers Naik Imtiaz Ali and Police Constable Aqib. They also alleged that the group resorted to indiscriminate firing near the New Bus Terminal after failing to gain broader public support, an accusation the committee strongly denies.
