HIZBUL NAMED AS TERRORIST GROUP BY U.S

The US government on Wednesday designated frontline Kashmiri militant outfit HizbulMujahideen as ‘foreign terrorist organisation’, the move which seeks to deny it the resources it needs “to carry out terrorist attacks”.

A statement issued by the spokesman of the US Department of State in Washington said that the Hizbul was designated as a ‘foreign terrorist organisation’.

“These designations seek to deny the organisation the resources it needs to carry out terrorist attacks. Accordingly, all of Hizbul’s property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with it”, the statement said.

The US government on Wednesday designated frontline Kashmiri militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen as ‘foreign terrorist organisation’, the move which seeks to deny it the resources it needs “to carry out terrorist attacks”.

The statement added that the Hizbul, formed in 1989, is one of the largest and oldest militant groups operating in Kashmir. “Hizbul Mujahideen is led by Specially Designated Global Terrorist Mohammad Yusuf Shah, also known as Syed Salahuddin,” the statement said. It further said, “Today’s action notifies the U.S. public and the international community that Hizbul is a terrorist organisation.”

The US State Department had in June this year declared the PoK-based Hizbul chief Muhammad Yusuf Shah alias Syed Salahuddin a ‘Specially Designated Global Terrorist’.

The Hizbul and Kashmiri separatist political parties had sharply reacted to it saying the move was “highly unjustifiable and regrettable”.