Militant breaks away from Hizbul after war of words

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 change the course of militancy in Kashmir.

Musa is believed to be heading the HM’s operations in Kashmir after the killing of Burhan Wani by security forces last year, that had sparked months-long street protests in 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 audiovisual statement on Saturday.

Hindustan Times could not independently verify the authenticity of the video montage overlaid with Zakir’s message. The development signaled clear divisions in the militant ranks over the decades-old armed insurgency that has killed thousands of civilians and security personnel since 1989.

It also came within days of suspected Hizbul Mujahideen militants abducting and killing Indian army officer Ummer Fayaz in Shopian.

On Friday, Zakir had called the leaders of the Hurriyat Conference “hypocrites, infidels, followers of evil” and warned to chop off their heads “if they create hurdles in the path of making Kashmir an Islamic State”. He added their heads will be hanged in Lal Chowk in Srinagar.