SRINAGAR: Radical militant leader Zakir Musa on Saturday severed ties with the Hizbul Mujahideen, hours after the outfit trashed his threat to behead separatist Hurriyat leaders, a development which could potentially impact militancy in Kashmir.
In a separate incident, at least two civilians including a minor girl were killed when Pakistani troops rained mortars on 35 villages and Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Saturday. Nine other people, including four Indian Army personnel, were injured.
India’s blames Pakistan of stoking militancy in Kashmir but Musa’s decision signalled serious differences among homegrown militants in the valley and the outfit’s leadership, based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Musa said the armed insurgency was aimed at creation of an “Islamic Kashmir”. “…If Hizbul Mujahideen doesn’t represent me, then I also don’t represent them. From today onwards, I have no association with Hizbul Mujahideen,” Musa said in an statement on Saturday.
IG GILANI SHUNTED OUT
Kashmir range insepctor general SJM Gilani was shunted out on Saturday amidst ongoing incidents of violence in parts of the Valley. He has been replaced by Muneer Khan.